This Star made my wish come true
by Skyler-A-Teloiv
Summary: Delayed by a storm, Richard meets Star at the airport and pulls the whole love at first sight thing as they spend one day together, but they go their seperate ways and he thinks they wont see each other again...or will they? SemiAU RobStar. COMPLETE!
1. Since When is Getting Delayed Good?

**Friends, FanFictors, wierdos, lend me your eyes (after all, you ARE reading this). I'm Skyler-A-Teloiv, and since I was already writing a superhero story (not TT related) I didn't figure I'd be a writer on here. But 20 minutes after I wrote "The End," I was listening to the radio and my accursed brain came up with all sorts of stories. Ce'st la vie (French for "well that's life")**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Disclaimer: Muhuhahahahaha! In a hostile takeover, I've managed to break into Cartoon Network, kidnap the CEO, and receive the Teen Titans as ransom! And as my first act as owner, I'M GONNA SAVE SESON SIX!**

**DareDevil (Matt Murdock, lawyer): (Breaks down door ready to kick my butt.)**

**Me: All right fine! Truthfully I didn't even get past the guards and I'm currently under a restraining order!**

**DareDevil: (Droops visibly) Aww! I'm never gonna kick a Non-disclaiming FanFictors butt!**

**Me: (Trying to be helpful) Well… Electra doesn't disclaim sometimes.**

**DareDevil: (Brightens) OK! Oh El-lie!**

**Electra: (Appears out of nowhere and begins kicking his butt for such a stupid nickname)**

**Me: (Entranced with fight) OK! I don't own TT or anything else in this chapter… yet. (Grins evilly and turns back to fight) Give 'im the chair Electra! Go for his happy place!**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**(A/N: My comments are bold and are like this), (Richard/ Star's comments are like this), _and thoughts are italicized. _**

**Since when is Getting Delayed a Good Thing? Chp 1 **

Richard Grayson looked at the flight schedules.

_Flight 815 to Jump City:_ DELAYED.

_Crap! I was supposed to meet Bruce in Jump at 10:00_! But judging from the tropical storm outside, it looked like that wasn't gonna happen. He pulled out his cell phone, only to find that the storm prevented his getting a signal.

Muttering certain words under his breath, he thought about how sucky his life was at this moment. His phone creaked under his hand's wrath.

Finally he sighed and released his phone into his pocket, where it emitted a sigh of its own. As he headed outside into the screaming wind, he tired to get his trigger hair temper back under control. The humidity started fogging up his sunglasses, which he always wore, and his anger flared up again. "Stupid storm, stupid cell, stupid plane, stupid everything!" he muttered as he dug out 50 cents and put it into the phone. Only to realize it cost 65 cents, and he growled out loud startling a little boy as he passed by with his mother, who ushered him along at a faster pace, and shot him a look of reproach.

Now embarrassed, ashamed, _and_ angry, he hunched as well as he could into the meager space that held the pay phone.

After 5 minutes of explaining, apologizing (like the rain was _his_fault), and arguing with an irate Bruce, the money ran out and cut off his call. Reaching into his pocket and finding he had no more change, he half-sighed, half-hissed and gently put the phone on its cradle, his knuckles turning back from white when he released it. _Bruce is gonna kill me for that, he'll probably think I hung up on him._

Sighing/hissing once more, he turned around, then froze. There was a red headed girl standing in the pouring rain, in the middle of the street, and was jumping at the occasional clap of thunder. And she was lost judging from the soaked map she had in her hand and her looking around in bewilderment.

Another clap of thunder made her jump about 2 feet up with a small "Eep!" and when she landed, she was facing Richard's direction. He gasped and whipped off his glasses to see her better and make sure.

Yep, she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Her skin was a completely un-fake looking tan, with an orange tint. Her flame colored hair that fell to her waist, which was visible due to her odd, but pretty purple miniskirt, crop top, and thigh-high boots. A strange rounded silver neckplate covered the top's neckline and much of her shoulders, with a dark circular jewel set in the lowest point of the dip. She wore a similar silver belt and an armband as well.

The rain had made the already tight fitting outfit cling to her even more, emphasizing her spectacular curves. But it was her eyes that entranced him; an emerald green, both iris and white, although the latter was much lighter, and they were currently filled with tears.

Before he realized it, he was heading in her direction. But a loud honk brought him to his senses. The girl whipped around and froze like a deer in the headlights, which, technically, she was.

Running as fast as he could, he barely managed to reach her before the car did. He held her close as they rolled out of the way, while the car, after a final honk, kept on. When they stopped rolling, he was on top of her, staring directly into her fascinating face.

"X'hal," she murmured, staring into her rescuer's cerulean eyes. Eyes which no one had on Tamaran. Eyes that were filled with concern for her, something she couldn't quite place, and despite his obvious youth, seemed tired. Eyes she had never seen before, but seemed familiar. Then she mentally slapped myself. _My first day on Earth, and I am already calling unwanted and unneeded attention to myself!_

The boy started speaking in a language she didn't know. He kept repeating, "Are you OK", and it sounded like a question she needed to answer. _Well,_ she thought, _since I'm going to live on Earth from now on, I might as well learn the local language._ She placed my hand on his wet, black as space hair.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Richard kept asking if she was hurt, but she was either too shocked to answer, or she didn't understand him. Then, out of nowhere, she put her hand on the back of his head and pulled him into a _deep _kiss, where he realized three things. 1, his lips were tingling in a way unlike any kiss he ever had, 2, her lips were _really _soft, and 3, he thanked whoever was out there for the storm causing the delay, and that he had put on chapstick earlier.

After what seemed an eternity, she let go and smiled beatifically, showing her perfect, ivory teeth. _It's official, this is the best rescue I have _ever _done._ And that was really saying something, considering who he was.

A little dazed, he helped the girl up, who seemed to be thinking about something. Then she smiled again and drew him into a hug that nearly crushed him. "Yes friend I am unharmed! And I bring you endless gratitude for my rescue!"

"No problem," he choked, "can you let go now?"

She did so, then started speaking a mile a minute, "My name is Koriand'r, which in your language means Starfire but my Eart-American name, is Kori Anders. Please, what is _your_ name?"

"Uh, Richard," he said, holding out his hand.

She looked at his outstretched hand in confusion, "Please, why do you hold your hand to me?" And for the first time in years, Richard Grayson chuckled. Not a sarcastic, condescending smirk, but a genuine almost-laugh. However, this only confused Starfire/Kori even more. "I have…done something amusing?"

This caused him to laugh even harder, and he was wiping more than rain out of his eyes. "Its an American greeting," he explained, "Your supposed to take my hand," she slid her, soft wet hand into his, and for the first time, after she kissed, hugged, and smiled at him, he blushed. Now, his voice was unsteady for another reason. "Uh yeah, and now you shake it up and down… slowly."

She did so, "Greetings Friend Richard!" she was still flashing that perfect smile.

Richard grinned his own lopsided smile, it was impossible not to. "Nice to meet you… um, what do you want me to call you?"

"Whatever you wish."

He thought for a bit, "I'll call you Starfire. Star, its nice to meet you." _Her eyes match her name. _"Hey, before that car nearly plowed into you, I noticed you looking at a map, are you lost?"

Star nodded vigorously, "I must find my _k'norfka_, Galfore. We have recently moved from Tamaran to E-America, and I was following him to wait for the plane of air, but it started raining."

"So?"

"Rain is a rarity on Tamaran, and a blessing. I stayed to enjoy and I believe the word is, dance, in it?"

He nodded like this was an everyday event. Although, this girl seemed so child-like and innocent, her dancing in the rain probably wasn't so farfetched. "Well, do you remember where you were supposed to go?"

"Galfore said these papers had such information," she said, producing a ticket from nowhere.

_Whoa! Where was she keeping that? Theres no place to put it! _He then slapped himself mentally, cheeks heating up, and read the ticket. _Flight 816 to Gotham City._

"Hey, you're moving to Gotham?" For some reason, his heart leaped. He and Bruce went to Gotham all the time for business… among other things. But he could visit Star in his free time.

Starfire was shaking her head, however, and his heart hit his kidney with a dull thud. "No, we are merely staying there temporarily while our home is being constructed in another city. Why do you ask?"

"Uh, no reason. C'mon Star, lets find your Korfa."

"Its _k'norfka_," she corrected.

They walked into the terminal and she stopped. "What?" asked Richard.

"Previously, you said you wished to call me Starfire, instead, you have addressed me as Star. Why?"

He grinned again, "It's a nick-name Star."

"Who is Nick?"

It wasn't until they reached the gate that Richard finally explained "nick-name" to Star. And it wasn't until she hugged him in gratitude that they realized that they were still holding hands.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**PLEASE REVIEW! This is my first FanFic so be gentle. And if you do review, I'll make you the virtual baked good of your choice! Heck, I'd be happy if ya just wrote "Good/Bad now give me (insert food)." Flamer's virtual food will be burnt.**

**L8r**

**SAT:) **


	2. The King and FaceKetchup

**Me: (Pulling up Internet) Do d-do do do… lets see if ANYONE bothered to read my story. (Reads amount and jaw falls to floor) Oh…my… GOSH!**

**I can't believe y'all ACTUALLY reviewed! Thank you (wipes tear from eye) My reviewers get homemade brownies or a cake. Those who didn't review, you get a cookie (at least ya read it). Now, scroll this way to the disclaimer…**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: Haha! My restraining order has expired and **_**now **_**I'm gonna take over TT!**

**The Thing: (Breaks down door, followed by Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman)**

**Human Torch: (Flies in through window, breaking glass and burning window frame) All right! Who's the moron who thinks she owns…(trails off when he sees me) Well Hel-lo cutie…**

**(I'm not really that pretty, but this is MY story OK?)**

**Me: (Raises eyebrow like Raven in "The Quest" (I love that part!)**

**(Bad flirting, me getting mad, putting him out with a fire extinguisher, then beating him with it later)**

**Me: (Deposits Torch's severely kicked butt into hall) I don't own TT or BK, but I do own Rhonda and Face-Ketchup, so get out and STAY OUT!**

**The Thing: Oh I like her.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**The King and Face-Ketchup Chp 2**

After describing what a K'norfka does, which is like a cross between a nanny and a bodyguard, Richard was expecting Galfore to be a grandmothery old lady. So you can imagine his surprise when Starfire squealed ecstatically and ran into the arms of a nearly 7 foot tall man who had muscles that put any person taking steroids to shame.

His hair was darker and longer than his Bumgorf's, which was what K'norfka's charges were called, and also had a _very long_ beard. One of his eyes was blank, probably due to whatever had caused the nasty looking scar he bore running from eyebrow to cheek and gave him a perpetually stern expression

In short, a very intimidating figure.

Galfore looked affectionate and amused. Apparently he was used to his Bumgorf's antics. "I see you've learned English Koriand'r. Who was your teacher?"

Star suddenly remembered Richard. "Oh yes! You must meet my new friend!" She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to Galfore, whose stern expression had grown darker, suspicious, and protective. "I wish to introduce you to Richard. He had saved my life and is the one who reunited me with you!"

While Star recounted what had happened, Robin the ever analytical was busy asking questions inside Richard's brain. _What did Galfore mean by, "I see you've learned English"? And am _I_ supposed to be the one who taught her? How _could_I? And where the hell is Tamaran? I've never heard of that country. And what about her language? I've never heard anything _remotely _similar to it. _

_And where did she get those eyes? They're _gorgeous

_Shut up Richard I'm being serious here._

_So am I! Those_ _peepers can't possibly be contacts._

…_Peepers?_

A loud rumble interrupted him, or them, rather. Star looked at her stomach and giggled. "I believe I am hungry."

And before Robin could stop him, Richard made a suggestion, "Well, since everyone's grounded, we could walk around the terminal and find a restaurant?"

Star looked elated, Galfore looked appalled. "That is a glorious suggestion Richard! Galfore please may I go? It would be a wonderful opportunity to try E-American cuisine. Please?" She gave him a puppy-dog-pout that no one could refuse, including Galfore.

"Very well," he capitulated, "But be careful."

Star hugged him again ecstatically. "Oh thank you Galfore! And do not worry, I am sure Richard can keep me out of harm's way." Galfore didn't respond to this, just looked at Richard the way girl's fathers do. Ya know, the ones that say, _You had better not hurt her, because if you do, I _will_ hunt you down!_

But Richard knew how to respond to this look. He raised his two fingers to his eyebrows in a smart salute. Galfore merely raised an eyebrow in response.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

10 minutes later, Star was still busy asking him questions about things he would never give a second thought, from fluorescent lights to cell phones. Normally, if it had been anyone else asking so many questions about such simple things, Richard would've strangled them by now for their stupidity. But Star's naiveté only charmed him, oddly enough, and made him feel light and unburdened like no one else ever could. She was like a child: innocent and finding wonder in the smallest things.

While he was trying to explain what the baggage carousel was, she suddenly squealed, "Richard! Does the king of burgers truly live there?"

He looked where she was pointing and chuckled, an occurrence that had only increased since he met her, "No, a king doesn't live there Star, its where you buy food."

She nodded slowly with a look of revelation on her face, which Richard figured that she always did when something was explained to her. _And_, he thought with a grin, _it makes her look really cute._

"Then may we eat there Richard?" Star asked, breaking his musing.

His crooked grin grew wider; after all of those fancy places they passed, she picks fast food. Not that he was complaining, though, he preferred fast food. "Sure Star."

They walked toward the restaurant, where a cardboard cutout of The King stood. Starfire stopped on sight of him.

"Richard?" she asked, confused. "If a king does not live here, why is there a monument of one?"

He glanced at the cutout and inwardly shuddered. The King gave him the creeps **(A/N: As he does all of us)**. "The company that owns the franchise decided to make a mascot for them and a 'Burger King' is what they use." Star gave her "understand" nod, but still looked troubled. "What's wrong Star?"

"What? Oh nothing is wrong!"

He raised an eyebrow; one thing he had also learned about her: Starfire was a terrible liar.

Goaded by the look on his face, she continued, "It is just… I mean no disrespect but… this king is… creepy, as they say."

He chuckled, forever amused at her innocence. "He creeps me out too," he admitted.

"Truly?"

"He scares a lot of people. A friend of mine says he is represents the evil of all things meat."

She cocked her head like an inquisitive kitten, "Then why would they keep such a mascot, if he is such a scary figure?"

"I've wondered that myself," he agreed, "but the food is good anyway, so it doesn't really matter to people."

Encouraged, she walked unfalteringly, but her grip on his hand tightened. For some reason, Richard almost wanted to knock that cutout over, for scaring his Star like- _Wait, _Robin cut in,MY _Star? Where did that come from? _

_Man this girls strong, she's crushing my hand! Still, she _is _holding- _

STOP IT! _Focus Richard, you nearly ran into a trashcan just then!_

_I did? _The mental equivalent of a gloved hand smacking a forehead was heard.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

There was a brunette lady who had her elbows on the counter she was behind and had a nametag that said, "Hello! I'm Rhonda!" She looked profoundly bored, that is, until she raised her brown eyes up to meet striking blue ones. _Wow, _she thought approvingly, _and I thought this was going to be a _bad _day! _

However, her optimism dimmed when she saw Starfire. _Oh great, she's probably his girlfriend. But one can always hope._

"Hello," she said seductively, "What can I do for _you?_"

Starfire noticed her emphasis on the last word and an unfamiliar feeling coursed through her, like something was crawling in her stomach. Her eyes narrowed, and an unnatural frown crossed her face as she glared at Rhonda distrustfully, who was afraid but didn't show it and stood her ground, looking the Tamaranian straight in the eye with a glare of her own.

Richard however, was blissfully unaware of the fight that was going on beside him while he was looking at the menu, and said, "Yeah, I'll have double whopper with cheese and mayonnaise, medium French fries, and a large Sprite."

A little disappointed at his lack of interest, she still kept it up. "You got it," she replied, honey dripping from each word. But, the honey turned to vinegar when she turned to Star. "And you?" Then Star did something that made Rhonda briefly question her sanity. For a millisecond, her eyes seemed to…they seemed to…well…_glow._ Rhonda blinked and shook her head a little, and when her eyes opened that the darkened green ones weren't glowing, however, they did look vivid with jealousy.

Even if it wasn't possible, the look on her face alone was enough to get the disappointed cashier to back down. This girl obviously wasn't the type who'd take kindly to her man getting flirted with and she raised her hands in defense.

Seeing Rhonda's surrender, and mindful that Richard was right there, Starfire calmed herself down, although her response was sickeningly sweet. "I will have the same, thank you."

Richard looked at her in surprise. He had figured that since Star, ahem, looked the way she did, she would be under the belief that she was fat, even though she was farthest you could possibly be from it. Therefore she would get something like a salad with no dressing and water. Weirdly, he finally understood why Vic liked a girl with a big appetite.

But then, the lady asked whether she wanted mayonnaise or mustard, and Star's face turned a light shade of red. At first he was puzzled at her expression, but then he realized what was wrong. Starfire didn't know what mayonnaise or mustard was.

"Don't put anything on it," he said quickly, "Just give us packets of both and we'll find out what she likes." Star threw a grateful smile at him that made his heart stop, then thump wildly to make up for lost beats.

They got their orders in record time from the frustrated Rhonda and sat down at a booth that Starfire made sure was out of the fast food employee's line of sight, much to said employee's chagrin.

Richard opened a packet of ketchup and squeezed it onto his burger while Star, who had been watching him, opened a mustard, squirted some on her finger, and tasted it. Her eyes opened wide, and before Richard knew what was happening, she had sucked the whole thing down (excluding the plastic) and was starting on another.

His finger reached her mouth before the condiment did. "OK, so we've established that you like mustard, now you might wanna put it on your burger Star." Then he realized where his hand was and quickly drew it back. Starfire, who had been a little flustered at his contact as well, nodded, squirted some on the edge of the whopper, then bit into it. "So?" he asked.

Her answer was muffled by the burger, which she was eating at a fascinating speed. He smiled and held out a ketchup, "This is good too," he offered.

She eagerly grabbed and tried to open it, but this was a particularly stubborn packet. "Use your teeth," offered Richard. Holding one end with her teeth and the other with her hand, she gave a mighty tug. It worked all too well! The packet ripped in half and its contents sprayed all over the face and hands of the Tamaranian girl.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

I nearly spit out my food, but being raised by an etiquette-obsessed person like Alfred, I forced myself to swallow my bite whole and for once, I didn't have to fake coughing to cover my laughter, and even Robin was smiling. Starfire glared at me, the first time I've ever seen any anger on her face. Or ketchup.

Maybe I was crazy, or Star's spontaneity was affecting me, or maybe it was just because she looked absurdly cute with anger and ketchup on her face. Whatever the reason, I did something totally stupid and immature and _fun _for the first time since my parents died. I took a fry, drew it across her tomato-covered cheek, and ate it. "Mmm," I smirked, "Face-Ketchup tastes good."

Her mouth and eyes popped open, and for a second, the latter seemed to glow. Then, like a veil falling, her face turned mischievous, and a devilish gleam was in her eye. It was so different from the Star _I_know, that it was my eyes' turn to widen.

When she was angry she was gorgeous, but _this_… this was just cruel to my gender. Even Robin the unflappable's mouth was hanging open too. Then to make matters worse, she leaned forward and purred silkily, "Then why don't you try on some?" Lord, This was making the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up.

So star-struck (pun intended), I was unable to defend myself from the oncoming attack. In one smooth motion, Star wiped the condiment from her face, and smeared it on mine. I sputtered a bit in surprise, but was still unable to recover fast enough to stop her from taking one of her own fries, and do to me exactly what I had done to her not 2 minutes ago.

I started to _stutter_, something I never did as I tried to comprehend what had just happened. But after a second of careful chewing, she interrupted me, commenting, "I believe it tastes better on you."

I'm not used to being dumbstruck twice in a conversation. Heck, I'm not used to being dumbstruck at all! Much less by a _girl_! Normally, girls hold pretty much no power over me. But now, my mouth is so wide, she can probably see my tonsils. What was _happening_ to me?

Deliberately misinterpreting my shock, she said innocently, "You do not believe me? Then have some for yourself." With that she swabbed another fry with Face-Ketchup and placed it into my mouth, _finally_snapping me out of my trance.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Suddenly the hilarity of the situation was gone, and the two leaned back awkwardly, not realizing how close they had been, with red painted on both of their cheeks that wasn't tomato based.

Unable to think of anything else to do, Star took a bite of burger while Richard chewed his fry and sipped his Sprite. Both were unable to meet the others gaze. Drawing up her courage, Star decided to sneak a glance at him. Sapphire instantly raised to meet Emerald, and neither one's eye wavered.

Something was going to have to give, and that something turned out to be Richard. The burp wasn't loud, or long, but it was enough. The two teens exploded with laughter. And, to Rhonda's dismay, everything was downhill from there.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Sorry this took so long, my relatives are visiting so I've been put to work cleanin the house. Anyway, review and I'll make you the virtual baked good of your choice. Flamer's virtual food will be burnt.**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	3. Parting to Meet Again

**Me: Hello my faithful readers! Didja miss me? (Crickets chirp) All…right uh… thank you guys (or girls) who reviewed again! And ummm… on with the fic! **

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: Ummm…I might own the Titans? **

**Spiderman: (Breaks down door)**

**Me: (Screams) DUDE! I'm gonna have to replace that door for the 3rd time! **

**Spiderman: (Looks sheepish) Oh… sorry. Lemme help you with that. (Begins to pick up pieces to door)**

**Me: (Sighs) I don't own TT, although I REALLY want to… Whatever, just read the chapter and review. (Goes to get broom and dustpan)**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Parting to Meet Again Chp 3**

After a while of talking, interrupted with fits of laughter at each others appearance, they finished eating, got themselves cleaned up, returned to their gates, and, under Galfore's watchful eye, picked up where they left off in their conversation. Richard eventually found out that Tamaran was, you guessed it, a small island in the Pacific. So small, in fact, that it wasn't shown on most maps, and the few that did show it only numbered it, or didn't name it at all. Robin mentally jotted this information down skeptically.

"So, why'd you move here?" he asked.

Her eyes fell to her lap. "My parents died," she said softly.

Richard's eyes widened and he winced in sympathy. "How long has it been?" he questioned gently.

"Two months," she mumbled.

He nodded knowledgeably. This was the time when it registered; where you knew it was real, and what you do after that either makes or breaks you. Richard himself nearly broke, but one day, he was wandering around the Manor and found a hidden stairway…and a cave. "And how are you doing?"

"I am…sad for them, but I do not want to be because-"

"-that's not what the would've wanted," he finished. That was what Bruce had told him. This girl definitely wasn't going to break.

Starfire was startled, "Yes. How did you-?"

"My parents are dead too." It was his turn to look at his hands. After all these years, it still hurt like it had happened yesterday.

Star immediately forgot her problems, "That is terrible! I am so sorry Richard!"

He marveled at her selflessness, "Its OK, it was 10 years ago and I was adopted by a good guy. He's an orphan himself and helped me through some tough times."

She nodded, "It is similar with Galfore and I," she blushed a little, "and you."

His brows rushed to meet each other. "Me? What do you mean?"

"Well, I was just in a 'tough time,' and you 'helped me through it' did you not?"

Richard was about to reply when a voice came over the PA.

"Attention passengers, Flights 815 and 816 are now boarding."

_NO! _he thought frantically,_ I don't want to leave her now! _

They both stood up, unsure of what to say. "I guess… this is where we part ways." '_Part ways?' what the hell was that?_

She nodded sadly.

"Well uh…" _Kiss her! Or at least hug her! Give her your number! Do something! Anything! _

"It was nice to meet you Star," he finally said and held out his hand.

_You RETARD_! _ANYTHING but THAT! _

Star, however, ignored his hand and hugged him fiercely, but gently. He melted in her embrace and hugged back. "I hope we will see one another again," she whispered lips lightly brushing his neck.

He pulled back somewhat regretfully and looked her in the eye, "We will," he assured her, "I promise."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Now on the plane, he could still remember how her hair smelled like green apples. A flight attendant pushing the drink cart tapped him on the shoulder. Richard looked up and she smiled in approval. "And what would _you_ like to drink Blue-Eyes?" she asked in a honeyed tone. **(A/N: Yes I know she sounds like Rhonda, Shut up!) **

Confused, he put his hand to his face and felt bare skin. He wasn't wearing his sunglasses! In fact, he hadn't worn them since he was at the pay phones. _That girl sure knows how to turn you upside down Grayson,_ Robin chided him. "I'll have a non-caffeine coke," he sighed, rubbing his temple.

Disappointed at his response to her, or rather, lack of one, she wordlessly handed him his drink and moved on. He sipped his drink and put on his sunglasses, his mind drifting from thing to thing, but mostly to a certain redhead. He put his seat back and closed his eyes, instantly falling asleep, and you'll _never_ guess what his dreams were about.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Three months later**

The final bell rang and Richard rested his head against his desk, exhausted. He and Bruce had… worked overtime last night. Someone poked him in the side and a deep laughing voice said, "Lookin a little dead there Grayson."

"Pull another all-nighter?" asked another voice, this one female and monotone. He didn't have to open his eyes to see who spoke. He knew his friend's voices. He should, he had known Vic since he was 9 and Rachel since he was 10. He didn't answer, hoping that they would take his silence at face value. No such luck.

"Well?" He cracked an eye open, somewhat irritably, to see directly in front of him Rachel Roth, or Raven, as they called her after her favorite Edgar Allen Poem. **(A/N: Sorry, I couldn't resist) **She hadn't looked over her latest of the thick books she enjoyed reading, but he knew very well that her book concealed a raised eyebrow and the slightest of smirks. Looking a little to the right, he saw Victor with a knowing grin on his dark face, for Vic knew full well why he was so tired.

Richard closed his eyes again. "Yeah," he mumbled, and tried to go back to sleep. In Mr. Mod's homeroom, he could afford to, sitting in the back, away from the old guy's ferret-like eyes and indefinite cries of "Oy!" All the old guy ever did instead of teach was complain about how that much worse America was than Britain, especially "the little snot with sunglasses." And about 10 minutes before the bell rang, he would pass out assignments and worksheets with textbook pages for instructions and somewhat of an explanation of his own. Richard was just glad he was pretty good at Calculus, and what he didn't know, Vic did, because it seemed that Mod gave him more work than anyone else. The old guy had a particular hatred for Richard himself, and the feeling was mutual. After three months of this torment, Richard was pretty sure every one of the kids in his class, himself included, could by now ape a pretty convincing imitation of the English schoolmarm.

As he was drifting off into the blessed realm of slumber, he heard said schoolmarm announce in his nasal British accent, "Well my duckies, it seems we have a new student; a Miss Kori Anders." Somewhere in Richard's mind, a bell of recognition rang, but he was too tired to care.

But then he heard a familiar voice say, "Please, I prefer to be called Starfire." His eyes snapped open. _It can't be…_ he looked at the new student.

It was. _Ohh_ but it was. Suddenly, Richard didn't feel like sleeping.

There, not 8 feet away from him, was his Star, and he vaguely wondered if he was dreaming. But never in his wildest dreams would he imagine _this_.

She was wearing a green shirt that matched her eyes with a spaghetti strap over one shoulder. She was also wearing dark blue jeans with a sash that matched her hair and black Vans. She wasn't dressed _nearly_ as provocatively as some girls at the school did, but the shirt was low cut enough, and the pants were tight enough, to attract the attention of every male in that room. Especially Richard's.

Even Mr. Mod seemed a little impressed by this newcomer. "All right Starfire," he said gently, then scrutinized the room and pointed to the empty spot, which happened to be next to Richard, "Why don't you sit over there luv?"

Amidst catcalls and wolf whistles (which Richard didn't appreciate in the least) Starfire looked straight ahead and sat in the seat next to the dark haired boy, who seemed to be staring at her, but she couldn't tell because of the dark glasses in front of his eyes. She also had a feeling that she had seen him before, but was too uncomfortable to place where.

Richard knew she knew he was staring at her, and that it was making her very uncomfortable, judging by the way she was biting her lip, but he couldn't help it. He hadn't seen her in three months, and he was still checking if this wasn't a hallucination from lack of sleep.

Star was feeling more uncomfortable by the second, and she knew the boy knew it, but didn't seem to care. And that made her angry. What right did this stranger have to make her feel so nervous? And why should she care that he was staring at her? And why was he so familiar? And how could someone be wearing sunglasses and still be drop dead gorgeous!

So intent on not paying attention to him, she jumped with a slight squeak when the bell sounded, causing the stranger to chuckle slightly. She nearly stopped, _he sounded exactly like…no,_ she shook her head, _I just _want_ it to be._ She got up and ran out of the room.

Richard, deaf to his friend's calls, followed. He was just out the door when Mod called him. "What?" he asked impatiently.

"Mr. Grayson, that kind of attitude is uncalled for! In fact, you are now Miss Anders' 'buddy' for the day."

Richard couldn't believe the good fortune that was just bestowed on him, "Thanks Mr. Mod! And sorry for snapping at you!" he sprinted down the hall.

Mod blinked for a moment, then said, "No running, you little wanker!"

Raven and Vic looked at each other in shock, "That's the first time I've ever heard Rich thank Mod."

"Or apologize to him," added Raven.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

That dark haired stranger was following her, she could feel it. She headed to the metal box where her books were kept, and as it turned out, his "locker" was across from hers! She dialed the combination and got her books out in record time, then slammed it shut and walked as fast as she could down the hall towards her next class. Unfortunately, the stranger was keeping up easily, and had a small smirk on his face at her expense. That was the last straw.

She stopped cold, and Richard almost bumped into her. She whirled around, "What do you want?" she snapped.

Richard was startled; despite her innocent personality, Star had a bit of an edge. And she hadn't recognized him, must be his glasses. He almost told her who he was, but he decided to wait for a better opportunity. He held up his hands in a placating way, "I'm assigned to be the person to show you around school today," he explained lamely.

Her angry expression magically disappeared, and an apologetic one replaced it. "Oh I am most sorry! I simply misunderstood why you were following me."

This was as good a time as any, "Its OK, at least you didn't smear ketchup on me."

Her eyes and mouth widened. "R-Richard?"

He lifted up his glasses to reveal to very amused blue eyes. "Hello Star." He was then crushed by her hug. _What do they feed this girl, steroids?_

"Richard! It is glorious to see you again!" he made a strangled sound, and she let go, blushing.

"Apologies, I have forgotten my strength again."

He took a deep breath and reassured, "Its OK Star, we have more important things to talk about, like _what are you doing here?!_

"I believe I could ask you the same question."

"I _live_ here, what's your excuse?"

"I live here as well. After the construction on our home was completed, we left Gotham and moved here."

Richard tried to comprehend what she was saying, which was hard since he had a feeling that he already knew, and was ecstatic about it. "So, the house that you told me was being built, was _here_, in Jump City?"

"Yes."

"And you now attend _this_ school?"

"That is correct."

If Richard had been alone when he discovered this news, he would've most likely been doing a victory dance screaming "YES!" at the top of his lungs. Instead, he said, "That's awesome Star! Welcome to JCHS! What class do you have next?" She pulled out her schedule and he grabbed it "accidentally" brushing her fingers as he did.

_Homeroom/Calculus: Mr. Mod_

_Earth Science: Dr. Light _

_Gym: Coach Pantha_

_4th Period: Lunch_

_English IV: Ms. Hive_

_6th Period: Free_

_Art: Ms. Argent_

"Except for the last two Periods, we have the same schedule."

Star's face lit up even more, if that was possible, "That's wonderful Richard!" He couldn't agree more, in fact, he was currently doing the running man in his head. "C'mon, the bells about to ring."

They walked quickly down the hall, dodging and pushing through the mass of students, and Richard's happy mood was ruined when they ran into Red, who promptly looked Star up and down with a raised eyebrow and an approving look, that was fairly discomforting.

Xavier Redding was the school's playboy and was as obnoxious as he was handsome. His coloring consisted of light brown hair and amber eyes, but other than that, in terms of physique, he was very similar to Richard. In fact, people referred to him as Richard's evil clone.

"Hey Cutie," Red purred, ignoring Richard, who was already beginning to seethe.

"Hi," she greeted flatly, and continued walking. Richard was surprised, but didn't show it, he was too busy glowering at Red, who loped up and blocked their path.

"Wait Cutie, apparently you don't know who you're talking to."

"A _clorbag _who won't let me get to my next class?" she offered saccharinely.

This didn't seem to faze Red, "Oh feisty are we? I like that Cutie."

Richard couldn't take it anymore. "If you think her actual name is Cutie, you are stupider than I thought Red. And if you value your teeth, you'll never call her that again."

Red suddenly took notice of his longtime enemy, "Who asked you what she wanted to be called Grayson? I'll call her whatever I want." Turning back to Star, he smiled the smile that he reserved for girls; the one that made them go all "weak at the knees." He made sure to give it more power than he usually did, since this girl seemed to be a lot smarter than Kitten and her legion of empty headed wenches. But he liked what he had in front of him for more than just her brains, and his eyes traced her extraordinarily long legs. And the fact that Grayson seemed to like her too, and would have a total meltdown if Red got her instead of him was the icing on the cake.

"So, before we were so _rudely_ interrupted, what were we talking about?"

Starfire's voice was so sweet, it was suffocating, "You were going to apologize to Richard and I. Then you were going to let us get to class after promising never to call me "Cutie" again."

Judging by the way that Red began to splutter in astonishment, a more and more common event she had with guys, this wasn't the answer he anticipated. Apparently, his smile hadn't ever failed before.

Richard, just barely managing not to laugh, placed a hand on her shoulder and said coolly, "C'mon Star, lets leave Red and his deflated ego alone." As soon as they were out of earshot, Richard exploded with laughter, hanging onto her shoulders for support, "Good God Star! Where did you learn to do that?"

She giggled a little bit then cleared her throat, "In the time that I had lived in Gotham," she explained, "several boys like Red had tried to make the move on me. At the apartments where I had resided, the daughters of the owner had taught me how to cope with them. I was very glad of it too, before I was instructed, the boys were very," she blushed, "_persistent_ and took advantage of my lack of knowledge of this culture."

Richard was livid; _Star is so innocent, how _dare _any guy try to take advantage of her! Now I have a good mind to go back and beat the crap outta Red._ "Richard? Are you…OK?"

He snapped back to reality to see Star looking at him, concerned. _She's so selfless, _he thought. "Yeah," he lied. The warning bell rang, "I guess we should go in."

They sprinted down the halls into a room to see a man with a light bulb printed on his shirt writing on the dry erase board. Richard found an empty table and pulled out the seat for Star automatically.

She sat down and cocked an eyebrow with a smirk not dissimilar to a certain someone she knew. "Are you attempting to play the cards right?"

He gulped and stared, wondering how Starfire managed to look so hot, and how she had the ability to read his mind.

But Starfire continued, "For you have dealt them well so far." Suddenly, she stopped and realized what she was doing. Pam, (the girl at the apartments) had described it as "flirting," and it was what you did with someone you were very attracted to. She blushed furiously at her boldness, but her inner self didn't know why._ You _are _attracted to him, so why are you embarrassed? _She couldn't come up with any convincing answer.

He was trying to think of something to say, but the final bell rang, and this time, he was glad about it. Anything he would have said, once he found his voice, would have most likely been very retarded. So he sat down with a sigh and tried to get himself under control.

The man at the board turned, "This is your assignment. Copy it down and work on it. Or talk; whatever." He then sat down and started brooding. Several kids got up and gathered around tables in their various cliques.

Star looked at Richard, and he could sense the question coming on. Eager to draw attention away from what had just happened, he started answering before she opened her mouth. "That's Dr. Light, and he is a _really_ bad teacher. He had tried to make himself out as a 'stern disciplinarian,' but he's really a coward. Eventually, he pissed off Raven, a friend of mine, and she let him have it. Well, Light had always been a little afraid of her, but when she was angry with him, he totally lost it. She was moved to another class, and he realized that just telling us what our work was and not attempting to control us was the best way to control us. Oxymoron, but true."

A short, scrawny looking boy with forest green eyes and hair, and was wearing a shirt that had an anti-meat logo came to the table and sat down. "Hey Rich," he greeted, "Who's this?"

"Hey Gar, this is Starfire."

Gar gave a smile that Richard identified as the one he used for "the ladies." "Well hel-" He was cut off by his own slightly girlish scream as the toes of Richard's boot made contact with his ankle. He glared at his attacker then said in a monotone voice that would've made Raven proud, "Hi, my name is Garfield Logan but everyone calls me Gar."

Star grabbed his outstretched hand and shook it warmly "Greetings Friend Gar! I am delighted to meet you!"

"Friend Gar" looked at Richard with an expression that clearly asked, _Is this girl high?_

Richard didn't answer, he was too surprised at Star's greeting; she hadn't run over and squeezed the life out of Gar. _That girl at the apartments must've taught her more than "how to deal with guys."_ he thought, and felt oddly disappointed. He would've enjoyed teaching her himself.

Star's questioning voice broke in on his thoughts. "Please," she asked Gar, "Why is your hair green?"

"A green monkey bit me," he explained casually.

Starfire's eyes widened and she opened her mouth, but Richard quickly reassured her, "Don't listen to him Star. He tells everyone that, but he probably just got it dyed."

She gave her "understand" nod and he stopped short. It wasn't until now that he realized how much he missed it. In fact, Richard was noticing all the little details he missed about the girl he had spent one day with. Like the understand nod, or how her eyes lit up when she laughed, or how she bit her lip when she was concentrating. Or how she tilted her head when she was confused about an American idiom, and how it always made him laugh. He hadn't really laughed since they had "parted ways."

He thought of the past three months and how stressful things seemed to have been, like he had lost something and for the life of him couldn't remember what it was or when he lost it. But he didn't feel that way now. Maybe Star was what was missing? He looked at Starfire as if he was seeing her for the first time, and saw her raise her hand to her mouth as she giggled, and he felt a smile cross his face. Of course it was her.

Vaguely, he heard Gar ask, "Wait, I thought your name was Starfire."

"It is but 'Star' is Richard's nickname for me."

Gar's eyes narrowed, "Did you meet Rich at an airport in New York?"

"Yes." _Uh oh,_ thought Richard, brought out of his daze with a bump. He could see where this was going.

"No way! Do you know how much Rich was tal- OW! DUDE! Are you _trying_ to break my leg?"

"It would definitely keep you out of trouble," they heard a cheerful voice say. The trio looked up to see Wally West, the fastest kid on the track team with one-liners and comebacks as quick as his feet. He had red hair that was just a little more orange than Star's, bright blue eyes, and a perpetual grin. It was quite a contrast to his girlfriend next to him, Jen McAllen, who had a fairly dark and annoyed (mostly with her boyfriends teasing idiocy) personality. She had pink hair and catlike eyes of the same shade. Her skin was gray, a sharp contrast to her coloring, but it suited her well.

"Hey guys what's up?" she greeted, eyeing Star.

It was Star herself who answered. "I am a friend of Richard's and he was introducing me to his friend Gar. Are you also his friend? Where are you from? What is your favorite color? Is it pink? Is that why your hair and eyes are pink? Are they also 'dyed'?" Jen was looking a little overwhelmed with the sudden influx of questions thrown at her, but she sat down to answer them. While they started talking, the three boys gathered for their own discussion.

Wally caught his friend's affectionate smile as he looked at the red haired girl and got straight to the point, "So when's the wedding?"

Richard's face reddened as intelligently replied, "What?"

"That's Starfire from the airport right?"

Gar asked Richard's question for him, "How'd you know?"

"Well she looks, acts, and talks exactly how you describe her. But the real give away was how Richy had that love struck look on his face that he only had when he talked about her."

"Richy's" face was now beet red from embarrassment/anger and Gar's hysterical laughter wasn't helping.

"Guys shut up!"

"Oh no, he's getting angry! Rich, you shouldn't lose your temper so easily! What kind of impression would that give to your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

That was pretty much how the entire period went for Richard, while Star and Jen were getting aquatinted. He was just about to throttle his tormentors when the bell rang, and when that happened, he sprinted out the door and towards the gym, dragging Star behind him.

So intent was he to get away, he accidentally made a wrong turn and ran into the girls locker room, only to emerge redder than ever amongst screams, escaping various weapons the outraged girls had thrown.

After going to the _right_ locker room and changing into gym clothes, Coach Pantha announced something that made Richard feel a lot better: they were going to play dodgeball. _Ah, nothing like throwing balls at hapless, unfortunate targets to relieve your rage._ Particularly since Gar was in his class. His eyes narrowed and he smirked. Pay back would be sweet. But his face lost its scheming look when he felt a light touch on his arm. Turning, he saw Star, looking very attractive in a simple gray shirt and royal blue gym shorts.

But she looked lost as well, "Richard, how do you play this game of dodging balls?"

He was explaining how to play to Star when Coach was told that she had a call at the front office. "OK guys, split up into two teams." She pointed at our two favorite teens. "You and you are the captains." She then walked out of the gym.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Oooh! Cliffies are great when yer the one posting them! I know everyone's a little OCC. I think everyone's going to be. In the next chapter, the games begin and Richard personally finds out what a great arm Star has. The rest of the gang is also introduced. So like I've said in other chappies; review and get virtual baked good of choice and flamer's food will be burnt.**

**L8r **

**SAT:)**


	4. The Titans

**WASSUP PEOPLES! Yes I'm not dead! Hooray for me!**

**OK I'm bored now.**

**If yer gettin all: "When is it gonna get GOOD?" I promise, VERY soon, like next chappie, I'm not sure (I've been kinda playin this fic by ear, although I've got the ending all worked out). Anyways, I can't believe I've hit almost 30 REVIEWS! I NEVER thought you'd like me this much! (Wipes tear from eye) All right this is getting mushy, let's get on with the disclaimer.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Disclaimer: Me: I…**

**X-Men: (Suddenly appears in room with a storm outside like they did in the second movie)**

**Me: You've GOTTTA be KIDDIN me! (Puts head in hands) Well, at least they didn't break down the door. Hey! (Lifts head) I just noticed somethin weird! I keep puttin all these MARVEL characters in my disclaimers when the Titans, which I DON'T OWN (X-Men star to file out the door, disappointed) are DC. Weird huh? (I then leave to chase after Ice Man. He's my soul-mate, I KNOW IT!) Bobby wait! YOU can stay!**

**Rogue: (Takes off glove and starts toward me, this is pre-third movie)**

**Me: OK! OK! I'll keep away! (pouts) Just read my chapter! **

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**The Titans Chp 4 **

Well…even though she had _said_ she had never played this game in her life, Richard was beginning to have his doubts. This girl was _amazing_ at dodgeball. She was one of the fastest ones out there, catching balls and throwing them at some unfortunate soul who would fall to the ground from impact; it made him pray that he wouldn't get hit by her. And when she dodged… it was like watching the Matrixfor crying out loud! And since he was as good a player as she, both of their team's numbers dwindled rapidly until it was just Richard and a boy he didn't know on his team, and Starfire, Karen Beecher (AKA Bee), and Gar on the other team.

Since Gar was used to being a target, he had been dodging the attacks surprisingly well. But, Richard's anger was still very alive within him, so the green haired boy was unmercifully pelted on the shin. His girlish yelp of pain was all it took to make the last of Richard's anger leave, so he was just smirking now.

So intent, in fact, was he on his successful revenge, he didn't notice the ball until it connected with his chest, knocking him down and actually making him slide a little backwards.

He vaguely heard Star calling his name in a concerned tone, and he turned his head just in time to see Bee throw her famous "Stinger Shot" and the last boy on his team join him on the ground. Coach Pantha blew her whistle and announced, "That's it! That's the last player. And Team Anders it the winner!" Richard made another attempt to sit up, but the ball had hit his solar plexus, and he needed to get his wind back.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on taking deep breaths, _that girl is too strong for her own good_. He opened his eyes…to see an angel? That's sure what it looked like. He shook his head violently, vision clearing, and he realized that the "angel" wasn't an angel at all. It was Star, although, that _was_ a pretty accurate description of her. She held out her hand to him, asking if he was unharmed. He nodded, still unable to speak, and took her hand.

On being assured of his well being, Star immediately let her excitement out in a high pitched squeal. "Oh I cannot believe that on my first time of playing the 'dodgeball' my team would be victorious!" She nearly tackled him back to the floor, but he managed to hold them steady.

Richard's grinned at her thrilled expression as his voice returned. He finally managed to say, "Congratulations Star, you played well. Nice arm by the way."

If he had screamed, "I'm Robin, the Boy Wonder!" the gym wouldn't have been in as much shocked silence as it was now. The hyper competitive, can't lose, "winning is the only thing that matters" Richard Grayson, was now congratulating the person who had just personally defeated him at his favorite game. And it was a girl, no less.

Star shook his outstretched hand, still giggling, and the two abruptly were aware of the eyes on them. After glancing at the various shocked faces, Richard raised his hands defensively, "What?" he protested.

It was Gar who broke the silence by screaming, "Who are you and what have you done with Richard!" Everyone burst out laughing, including Richard and even Coach Pantha. But though the tension was broken, it did nothing to quell the rumors about Richard Grayson and the shine he had taken to Starfire Anders. And before the bell rang, these rumors had reached two people who wouldn't appreciate these teens' relationship one bit.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

"So Richard, what part of the school day are we going to participate in now?"

"Its 4th period Star. Lunch time."

"Glorious! The dodgeball game was very strenuous and has left me, 'starving'?" He nodded confirmation at the right phrase and they pushed in the cafeteria doors, where the noise came crashing like a tidal wave. "_X'hal, gulp'ta seesna'r!_" she gasped, accidentally slipping back into her native language.

"What?"

"Oh! My apologies, I was simply saying that it was very loud in here."

Richard was once again confused. He asked the question that had been going through his mind all day, "What? Was the school in Gotham _quiet_?"

"I do not know, I did not attend a school in Gotham," seeing his confused frown deepen, she continued, "Galfore had thought that my attending a public school in Gotham would be impractical, as I was going to move here shortly and the transference paperwork would be 'a nightmare.' So, during my stay, I was 'home-schooled.'"

It was now Richard's turn to do the "understand" nod. Her ignorance of the inner workings of a public school suddenly made sense. Now that these things had been cleared up, Star started into the lunchroom, causing Richard to start panicking.

At this school, in order to get in line, you had to walk on a path that was exactly in the middle of the tables. This exercise was appropriately called; "Walking down the Aisle" for this walk married you to whatever class in the student society that your stride fits. And annulments were rarely, if ever, made. Plus, everyone attended the ceremony, whether they were invited or not.

Unaware of this test, Star was as innocent as a lamb headed for the slaughter. Richard desperately called for her to come back, but it was lost in the roar of the student's voices.

But, he needn't have worried, for Star walked down the aisle with the simple, elegant grace and dignity of a princess. However, that was only a small reason why the male population of that cafeteria had fallen silent and was focusing on certain areas of her anatomy as she walked by. Star's was biting her lip and her face was red from self-consciousness. Richard having caught up to her also had a flushed face, though anger and jealousy were his reasons.

However, Star never faltered, and grabbed a tray with her head held high. As soon as she entered the room where the food was, the conversations resumed in earnest, much to the Tamaranian's relief. Richard let out his own breath, but his eyes widened again when he saw Star reaching for the day's main entrée, meatloaf.

He all but dragged her away from the danger, "Um, I think chicken nuggets would be the best way to go Star." She raised an eyebrow slightly and he leaned forward, mindful of the watching lunch ladies, "A genius kid a few years back analyzed the ingredients of the meatloaf…lets just say that there was a mass rioting of pet owners." Her eyes widened in horror and made no haste about grabbing a bag of the proffered nuggets.

They walked past the French fries and condiments and Richard smirked as he handed her some mustard and ketchup on her tray, but when she placed fries on his, she gave him a bright innocent smile, though her eyes were sparkling cheekily.

He chuckled all the way to the cash register, where Starfire handed the lady a dollar and walked on. The large rounded woman opened her mouth to complain, but stopped when she felt a twenty slide into her palm. "Put it in her account Ms. Mayeye." The aproned lady smiled brightly and winked an eye, which was unusually small and set deep into her round face. Richard waited till he was out the door before shuddering; Mayeye gave him the creeps, especially since he had heard rumors about some "secret ingredient" in the pies she made. He had stuck to Cosmic Brownies since then.

All eyes had instantly been on the newcomer as soon as she was visible. This was the decision they were all waiting for, the choice of which table she was going to sit at, for this decision would make or break the small reputation you acquired when you had walked down the aisle. Starfire had stopped and waited for Richard, uncertain of what to do next. Even though she had never attended a school like this and was unaware of its customs, she sensed that her actions and choices would have a dramatic affect on how her peers viewed her.

Realizing why she had hesitated, Richard proceeded to lead the way up the aisle to his, and soon to be her, clique. But it wasn't until her bottom-which the guys were still staring at, much to Richard's irritation-was in a seat next to Richard at a table with very diverse people that it was official. She was a Titan.

One day in middle school, back when it was only Richard, Raven, Vic, Bee, and Gar; they had helped a geek who was being picked on by the so-called "popular kids" by first getting the tormentors to stop, and then retrieving his belongings that were scattered around the floor. The boy had thanked them said they were like "The Titans".

Even Raven hadn't known what he was talking about. "The Titans were apart of Greek mythology," he had explained, "and were beings even greater than the Gods. You five," he paralleled, "are way better than the 'Gods' of this school because while your just as popular, you are nicer people, making you more powerful than them because people will choose you over them when the choice is presented."

Soon everyone heard about the incident, and the name stuck, even as the years went by and more friends were made. But these friends were like the original Titans, people who were just as well known, and just as kind. It became sort of an unspoken rule about their new members; you had to be a nice person, and you couldn't be afraid to show it.

This was now the group Star was apart of, and Richard knew she'd fit like a glove.

Star bit her lip self consciously as the people seated at the table turned to the alien in their midst. "Hey guys…and girls," he added after Raven sent him a look, "This is Starfire, and she's gonna sit with us." After that, he met the eyes of each person at the table, as if daring them to object. But the Titans weren't worried, while they were curious about their new member, they knew Richard was a good judge of character, he wouldn't bring just _anyone _to their table. Star was equally curious of her new friends, and she already knew Wally, Jen, and Gar, but she studied the others closely, committing their respective names and faces to memory.

First, there was Rachel, AKA Raven, Roth, who was seated on her right in the corner of the table. In a minute and a half, Star had discovered that Raven was in her homeroom, spoke with maturity well beyond her years, and had a deep hatred for the nickname Rae.

The dark silent girl had equally dark purple hair cut in an A-line from neck to chin and had eyes of the same shade, which was really starting to make Star wonder if everyone dyed their hair to match their eyes. She was a petite person, only 5'2" and had grayish colored skin, a shade darker than Jen's, product of a Goth's aversion to light. However, like Jen, this only made her look pretty, just in a darker way. She was wearing black baggy jeans and a dark blue, almost black shirt that said "I'm having a bad day, Need I say more?" Her greeting to Star was making eye contact, touching her hand briefly, nodding, and going back to reading her book.

Next was Victor Stone, a 6' tall African-American who played football and had the muscles to show for it. But, despite his "jock" station, he was true to the Titan name and had a soft spot for people in trouble. That, and meat. He was seated on the other side of the table, at the left-hand corner, across from Gar. His greeting was muffled by the burger in his mouth but to Star, it sounded like, "Pleased to meetcha lil lady." He then returned to his heated debate with Gar about how he didn't _care _that a cow had to die to be his lunch, he was gonna eat his burger dangit! He was also in her homeroom, she discovered.

Next to Gar was an absolutely gorgeous boy with long black hair that reached his shoulders and black, black eyes. This was Alan Williams, the captain of the swim team, or so it said on his water blue letterman jacket. He was in her English class next period and was seemingly oblivious to the blush on her cheeks as he shook her hand.

Across from Star was a taller than Raven, shorter than her, thin girl with shoulder blade length blonde hair pulled into a ponytail and huge sapphire eyes. Terra Markov was wearing blue jean short shorts and a long sleeved light gray shirt with a darker gray with black sleeved T-shirt over it. Instead of shaking Star's held out hand, she pounded it and grinned her welcome. She also had next period free and offered to show her around.

Lastly, across from Raven was a girl with chocolate colored skin and eyes: Karen Beecher. "Call me Bee," she invited. Her black hair was pulled up into two buns on the top of her head and had a yellow tank top and tight fitting black pants. She had English and Art with her.

After introductions, there was about two seconds of awkward silence. But it was broken after Vic and Alan exchanged a confused glance, then said, "Starfire? Isn't that the girl Rich-" they broke off on seeing Gar and Wally's rapid motions to shut up and Richard's death glare. But the grins all four boys exchanged were assurance that they would torment him later. Richard sighed and put his head in his hands; he cursed the day that he ever told his friends about Starfire.

Meanwhile, Star was making a good impression with all the girls, even Raven. She had started the conversation by making the connection between Raven's nickname and then quoting a few lines of the Edgar Allen Poem "The Raven." This shocked Raven to no end, because to her, Starfire didn't seem like the type to know what dark poetry was, much less is familiar enough with it to have an intelligent discussion about it. As it turns out, Pam had a sister, Rebecca, who was Gothic, so Star had knew how to talk to them (Goths) and what literature they liked.

They were discussing "The complete Works of Samuel Taylor Cooleridge," which was the book Rae had been reading, and ironically one of Rebecca's favorite authors, when a shadow fell over Star. She heard an all too familiar voice, "Hey Cutie, don't we have some unfinished business to take care of?"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Richard was furious, irate, livid, antagonized, outraged, angry, mad, and jealous from the time he heard "Hey cutie."

He was about to have a nice little "chat" with Red when he saw the look on Star's face. It was like the one that she had given him at Burger King.

Before she had smeared the ketchup on his face.

Star slowly turned and batted her eyelashes at Red, nearly melting him. "Yes," she said seductively, "I believe we do." With impossible grace and fluidity, she stood up and placed a hand on his elbow. Slowly, she slid her hand up his arm and paused at his bicep, "Oh," she cooed, "You are so strong! Do you do the 'working out'?"

Richard was fascinated/horrified; even though he knew what Star was doing, it still made him angry that she was using this voice on anyone but him.

Red grinned, this was _too_ easy; "Sure do Cutie."

She giggled, "You know what? I have found that I like that nickname after all." Her hand was now at the back of his neck and she drew closer, "Do you want me to show you _how _much I like it?"

This was almost too much for Red. Or Richard for that matter. When Star had pulled, "The Look" on him, it had still contained innocence due to her lack of use of it. However, Pam and Rebecca had helped her perfect it while she was in Gotham. In short, every guy close enough to see Star's face was drooling, and it was driving Richard crazy since this look wasn't directed at him and _only _him.

So dazed, in fact, was Red, that he couldn't answer, he just nodded, and Star leaned forward. Richard's eyes widened behind his glasses, _she isn't actually…gonna…_She didn't. At the last second, she made a detour and whispered something in Red's ear. Richard figured she had told him to close his eyes, for they were immediately shut.

This was the moment Star had been waiting for. She held out her hand to Richard, who looked around until his gaze finally settled on Gar's plate of tofu. Gar, who realized what was going to happen to his beloved lunch, started to protest, until Victor's hand clapped over his mouth and whispered, "Shut-up ya little grass stain!"

Richard grabbed the plate and placed it on Star's outstretched hand. She let out a battle cry and slammed the soy bean curd into Red's unsuspecting face.

At that moment, the cafeteria let out the breath it had involuntarily holding then exploded. Red blinked some tofu-covered eyelashes then started to speak. However, some of the meat substitute fell into his open mouth. The look of utter revulsion on his face caused everyone to laugh still harder. He started to run to the trashcans to clear his mouth of the foul substance when he slipped on the plate that Richard _happened _to leave on the floor. Star and Richard were hysterical now. She held up her hand shakily, which he slapped, emitting a triumphant pop, and unwittingly intertwined his fingers with hers, then brought it level with their faces.

"Excellent plan milady," he congratulated in his really accurate impression of Mod, causing "milady" to giggle. Before he knew what he was doing, he turned her hand around to face his and kissed it. The jolt of electricity that passed through both of them brought him back to his senses and his blushing mechanism was now working overtime, although Star was looking a little pink herself. She giggled again, and unbeknownst to the both of them, the other Titans had been watching the whole time, and they were now laughing for another reason.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

During their next period, English, neither teen could look at each other without letting out a laugh of triumph, save Bee, but that was just because she wasn't seated near them. It was for this reason that stern Ms. Hive enforced her zero tolerance silence rules and gave the two ISD (In School Detention) for the next period.

Richard nearly kissed the prune face teacher for the good news. Now he would only have one period away from Star instead of two! Dang, were the teachers were being really nice today, or was it just him? Star, however, looked shamed to tears, which quickly dampened his joy. In fact, with every step they took to the ISD room, her face grew redder and sadder, which was tearing Richard's heart out.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore; he placed a gentle-but-firm hand on Star's shoulder, stopping her but not lifting her eyes from the floor. Turning her around, he placed his other hand on her other shoulder and leaned forward to bring their faces level. "Star," he said in a voice he used on the people he saved when they were in shock, "you can't blame yourself for this, because I laughed too. Besides, Old La- I mean, Ms Hive is mean. Heck, I heard she sent a kid to ISD for _sneezing_ in her class!" This of course wasn't true, he was pretty sure, but he wanted, no, he _needed _her to feel better, even if it meant lying, which he avoided to whatever extent possible.

She seemed a little better, but he couldn't tell since she kept her eyes stubbornly on the ground. "I'm sorry," she apologized quietly, "I have just never been in trouble before, and I feel like I should have contained my enthusiasm more fully."

He rolled his eyes in frustration, for once thankful of her downcast head. But once his eyes made the complete circle, he put his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. He took off his sunglasses. The instant her brimming green eyes met his calming blue ones; she felt all of the guilt and worry and sadness ebb slowly out of her.

He had a small smile on his face, "Star, do you _honestly _think you did anything wrong?" She shook her head slightly. "Would you have rather kissed Red?" he almost choked on the words, they were so nasty.

Star shuddered at the thought, "Do not even joke about that. I would sooner kiss a Komodo dragon."

He grinned, "That's my girl." _MY girl. Hmm, I like the way that sounds._

_But Richard, she ISN'T "our girl!"_

_But ya gotta admit you liked the way that sounded._

_I'm not going to dignify that with a response._

_That's because you don't have a response Bird Boy._

_Shut up._

But what either hadn't known was that Starfire had been thinking the exact same thing. Somewhat

The rest of the day was uneventful, save Star dreamily doodling Richard's name in her notebook in Art, much to her embarrassment, and Jen, Bee, and Ms Argent's amusement when they pointed it out.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

The next day, Vic, Gar, and Wally had come up with their newest practical joke.

1. Take a quarter.

2. Blacken rim.

3. Approach victim.

4. Place a bet that they can't roll quarter from forehead to chin without it leaving their face.

5. Laugh hysterically.

6. Find new victim and repeat.

The few people that hadn't seen that episode of "Friends" actually fell for it, including some teachers. And the school had an unspoken agreement: don't warn anyone, and don't tell anyone that they had a black streak down their face.

It had been particularly satisfying when Kitten Moth, leader of the "Popular Girls" and the "I 3 Richard and Robin Fanclub," fell for it. It was said that she found out during her cheerleading practice and her screams could be heard from 4 miles around, although no one knew that for sure.

It was for this triumph, in fact, that the Titans went out for pizza to celebrate. But even then, Gar and Vic could not be stopped, so they pulled the trick on the poor waiter who took their order, causing the hysterical group to nearly pass out. However, when Richard came back from the bathroom, the table was eerily silent. Instantly, he raised an eyebrow, "What?" he asked suspiciously.

Wally spoke up, "Hey Richard, I bet you can't roll this quarter from your forehead to chin without it leaving your face!" Richard, Raven, and Jen rolled their eyes, while everyone else laughed. Soon, the unsuccessful prank was forgotten as the pizza was served, and Gar and Vic started arguing about the toppings. Alan soon joined in when he discovered Terra had anchovies on her pizza. However, they suddenly stopped when they saw what Starfire was doing.

With two final squirts, Star picked up a slice of pizza, although you could hardly tell it was pizza with all the mustard on it. She was bringing it to her mouth when she noticed the stares.

"Yes?"

"What did you do to that pizza?" gasped Bee.

"She likes mustard," defended Richard, "Anything wrong with that?"

"No," contradicted Wally, "_I _like mustard. _That_, is unhealthy!" Star was about to protest, but she remembered what Rebecca had told her to do when in situations like this. She glared at Wally, once again brought the mustard-covered pizza to her mouth, took a big bite, smiled widely, and emitted a loud "Mmm." Richard laughed and took a bite out of his own pizza, while the other Titans looked ready to hurl.

He finished his first slice and was reaching for another, when Star's thumb brushing over his top lip stopped him. He looked at her, confused "Uh Star?"

She returned his confused look with one of her own "What is the matter Richard? You had gotten the sauce on your mouth. I was merely wiping it away." She returned to her mustard pizza while Richard turned a healthy shade of red. _For a second there I thought…_ he was interrupted by his friends' laughter. Apparently, they had also known what he had been thinking. A ringing, however, cut short his embarrassment. _Thank goodness,_ he thought as he pulled out his Razor (A/N: Which I don't own, but REALLY want).

After a minute, he snapped shut the phone and stood up saying, "Sorry guys, that was Bruce, and he told me that he needs me home. Now." Richard looked at Vic, who immediately understood.

"S'OK Grayson, its getting late anyway. We should all get going." Richard said his good-byes while the other Titans-except Star- exchanged the traditional confused look. Every time Richard had to leave, Vic always suddenly declared it "late". But Richard and Vic's secrets were their business, and they respected that. Heaven knows they had their own secrets. So with that in mind, they all accepted a ride in Vic's "Baby," a fully restored blue and white 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California, Just like the one from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

That is, everyone but Starfire, who said she would walk home since it was so nearby.

"OK, but be careful lil lady."

She nodded, and her new friends squeezed into the car with Vic complaining about them messing up the interior. She started walking, like she said she would, but as soon as the car was out of sight, she decided that she would fly. She hadn't in a while. Hardly was an inch in the air, however, before an arm snaked around her waist and violently jerked her back to earth. She managed to scream at the top of her lungs before it was muffled by her attacker's hand.

"Shut it, Bitch," he hissed in her ear, before dragging her into a close by alley, ignoring her struggles. He switched his hand from her mouth to her neck, constricting her windpipe.

The man leered at her, "Don't worry Baby," he said with mock concern; "I'll be done soon."

She tried to take a deep breath to scream, but the arm pressing on her neck was unrelenting, and even if she had managed to get out any noise, it wouldn't have been heard anyway, for his mouth was now on hers. She struggled, even though she knew it was useless, and she felt the lack of nitrogen starting to affect her, and her vision began to darken as the man's hand slid up her shirt…

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**AHHHHH! This cliffie is even tormenting ME! But don't worry my faithful minions-I mean readers, I'll update soon, if I reach 36 reviews! Yes I'm evil! Muhuhahahaha! XD Now, I have a poll, one has to do with the story, one sorta pertains to it, and one doesn't at all.**

**1) OK, should Red be Red X, or should he just be a jerk?**

**2) If you could have superpowers, what would they be? What's yer second choice?**

**3) Where are you from? I wanna know if my readers are out of state. Or maybe even out of country! (I know I have at least one: pucky-black, who's from Mexico)**

**My Answers**

**I DON'T KNOW! That's why I'm askin you!**

**Flying, Intangibility (Its when you can pass through anything, and vice-versa), and Flameshots (Its my name for Shego's powers, if you've seen Kim Possible, you'd understand, if not, tell me and I'll explain). My second choice would be Madame Rouge's powers (Weird, I want powers that villainesses have).**

**I'm from Texas! How're y'all doin? (No, we don't say "Howdy pardner." That's retarded.)**

**L8r**

**SAT :)**


	5. My Hero?

**Hello! Sorry this took so long, I just wrote another story, called "Blue October," then we've had company, _then_ I got grounded… Anyway, couldja guys check it out? My new story I mean. It's sorta different from my normal style of writing. For one thing, its kinda serious:) Anyways, I'll update that story later, this is now.**

**But first, I have hit 47 reviews! AHHHH! I'm so happy! As for the polls, Red just stays Red: 4. Red is Red X: 10! Red X wins!**

**Second poll: Most popular powers were: Flying, telepathy, and telekinesis. We have three people who want invisibility, and an airbender, shadowbender, witch, peacemaker, an overshadower (like Jerico), healer, a Raven/Star combo, matter materializer, a grassbender (don't ask), radiation controller, intangibility, icebender, forcefield, teleportation, and a weatherbender (like Storm). One word: Nice.**

**Now, I know I have four people from different countries that read my book, and those countries are Canada, Mexico, Scotland, and New Zealand. COOL! Now the disclaimer.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: OK, my plans haven't worked out so far, but they will someday! I WILL OWN TT! **

**Clark Kent (the one from Smallville): (Breaks down door with Chloe behind him to report the story)**

**Me: (Holds up piece of Kryptonite I keep, just in case) HOW DO YOU PEOPLE KEEP FINDIN ME!**

**Chloe: Put that away before I make you! (Rolls up sleeves)**

**Me: (Gets into fighting stance) Bring it paper girl!**

**(15 minutes of cat fighting later)**

**Me: (Pins Chloe down) I don't own TT! So will you leave now?**

**Chloe: (Nods and starts helping Clark out of the room)**

**Me: Whatever, just read the chappie. Hey! I used DC characters this time!**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**My…Hero? Chp 5**

"_There was a break in at the cave." _

Those words alone were enough to make Richard's head spin. The Batcave was supposedly impregnable; no one had _ever_ found it, except him. _Guess there's a second time for everything,_ he thought.

With iron will, he had kept his voice level as he told his friends he was needed at home. Victor, of course, had helped him out, getting everyone to go home early. Sometimes, having Vic privy to his secret came in handy.

He had walked a few blocks away, then waited in a dark alley. Soon, a black motorcycle drove up with, well, _him_, driving it, and it startled him everytime. But, he pushed the code on his Razor, and the hologram disappeared, leaving an empty red motorcycle with an "R" ensignia on the front.

He opened a small compartment on the bike and pulled out his costume. He put on the mask, then pulled a grappling hook from the belt and aimed it at the top of the building next to him. Once on the roof, he carefully turned the doorknob on the roof access, not wanting to make a lot of noise. He pulled the door open, and the scream it gave off deafened him. _So much for being quiet._ He got dressed and stepped off the roof, holding onto the rope he had left there earlier.

"_He took the suit Master Dick. And he just used it to rob a bank." _

Those words kept playing through his mind as he got onto the R-Cycle. If he had never… if he had listened to Bruce, none of this would've happened. But it was his mess, and he was the one who needed to clean it up. And it wasn't like Batman could help him even if he wanted it. Bruce was in Gotham on business. He activated the tracker.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Her vision began to darken as the man's hand slid up her shirt…but then the hand was gone, and the pressure on her neck was released. She fell to the ground and focused all of her attention on filling her lungs with blessed fresh air.

Her senses returned slowly, and she vaguely heard the sounds of a fight. She tried to stand up, then moaned slightly in frustration at her weakness. The fight stopped at her moan, and she looked up, to see someone who scared her more than her attacker. She drew a deep breath, then screamed at the top of her lungs. It was cut short when the person put his gloved hand gently over her mouth. "Hey HEY! I didn't hurt you!" he said softly, "I just _saved_ you! Are you OK?" He pulled back his hand.

She nodded numbly as she stared into his mask, "Who…_are _you?"

He helped her up. "Call me Red X," he invited, as he shoved her into the wall.

She gasped, "What are you doing?"

"C'mon Cu- I mean, Kori," he complained has he lifted his mask slightly, "I just saved you! Don't I get a reward?"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Robin had heard the scream, and it was coming from the same area that the thief was located. He sped up the R-cycle.

Now five steps from the criminal, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He tapped the new Red X's shoulder, who turned to meet Robin's fist. Thrown off guard, X was unable to defend himself as Robin took the suit's utility belt, which was what the entire suit was powered by.

"Leave. _Now_, before I do something I regret." Robin's voice was terrifyingly calm. "And don't bother going to the news _Red_, because if you expose me, you expose yourself. And I don't think you'd appreciate going to jail. "

Red knew that Richard wasn't kidding and growled in frustration, "We're even for now kid. But I'll see you around."

"Count on it."

Red mock saluted, "And nice face, it matches your outfit. "

Robin had nodded curtly at first, then wondered what Red had been talking about. And as the new villain took off into the shadows, he shook it off and turned his attention to Star, who had passed out. He checked to make sure there were no major injuries, and sighed in relief when he didn't find any.

The best thing for her was to go home, he decided, so Robin looked through her purse until he found her driver's license, which had her address on it. He picked her up, bridal style, and took her to the waiting bike.

As he sat her in front of him, he wrapped her hands around his middle, blushing at the close contact. He prayed she wouldn't wake up while they were on the road, and considered the best way to keep her secured. He almost went for some grappling rope, but Star suddenly snuggled closer to him, inhaling his scent and tightening her arms. "Richard," she mumbled.

Now embarrassed in earnest, he started and revved the bike as quietly as he could, and made his way to her home.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Starfire woke up in her room. She gasped as she looked around. _Had it…_all _been a mare of night?_

She got out of bed and looked into the mirror. There was a bruise over her right collarbone. "So it wasn't a dream," she said hoarsely.

"No it wasn't," said a voice. She whirled around, shaking. Her eyes went wide as she recognized Robin, "The Boy of Wonder" as the news had called him, entering though her balcony doors. His hands went up in surrender. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"That was what the Red X had said," she whispered. She tried to scream, but her throat hurt too much, and she swallowed repeatedly in attempts to dislodge the lump in her throat.

Richard cursed inwardly, _I will _kill _that son of a-_

"But the news had said you are a 'hero' yes?" He nodded, "Then… I can trust you?"

Another nod, then, "Listen, Ms Anders, I only stayed here so I could make sure you were all right. Are you?" Now she nodded. "OK, then I'll leave you alone. But you might want to call a friend."

"What?"

"You seem like you need someone close to you to talk to. Good night Ms Anders." With that, he started to leave.

"Wait!" she called, he turned. "Please, my friends call me Starfire, and I consider you my friend."

He smiled, "I'll see ya around Starfire." He once again headed for the balcony.

"Robin!" Wow, just her calling him by that name gave him chills.

"Yes?" To his surprise, she giggled. Most people would've gone into shock and started hyperventilating. You'd think that after what she had just been through, she'd be a lot less…composed.

"You have…something on your face."

"My face?" he looked at the same mirror that Star just had. _Aw CRAP! So _that's_ what Red had been talking about! _He had quite a bit of leftover pizza sauce on his mouth.

He rapidly wiped it away, although it had been difficult to see the difference between the sauce and his red face. Star giggled again, and this time, neither said anything as he walked out.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Starfire watched him go, then sat on her bed, thinking about what had just happened. She almost called for Galfore, but then she remembered that he was on a business trip in Gotham, meeting with some fellow owner of a company (his being CEO of Tamaran Industries could be so inconvenient). Robin was right, she needed to call a friend.

She got out her cell phone and dialed Richard's number, which he had given to her yesterday in ISD.

Richard had known that Star would call a friend, but he didn't expect it to be _him_. Considering what had just happened, you'd think that she'd want to stay as far away from males as possible.

Nevertheless, the caller ID said clearly, _Incoming call: Star. _He slowed his bike down so she wouldn't hear it and flipped the phone open, "Hello?"

As soon as she heard Richard's voice, all the memories came back, and she broke down. Richard spoke again, this time; his voice was more concerned. "Star! What happened? What's wrong?"

"R-R-Richard," she sobbed, "C-could…you please… c-come o-over?"

"Of course, where do you live?" She gave him her address. "I'll be right there" he promised. He roared back to Wayne Manor, changed back into street clothes, activated the hologram to make the R-cycle black once more, and then started for Star's house. He handed Alfred the belt and briefly told him the situation as he headed out the door.

"Master Dick?" the elderly butler asked, "Is this perchance the same Miss Starfire that-" Richard slammed the door and got on his bike.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

The door to Star's house opened after two knocks and a red streak flung itself into his arms, crying loudly. After a long while of Richard trying to calm her down, she finally told him what happened up to the point where Red X saved her, and Richard didn't have to pretend to be angry. He hadn't known about the first guy, and if Red hadn't been there…he would've been too late. _Just like he was with his parents._

Starfire watched him pace around the room. He was so angry; she herself felt a little frightened. He finally spoke, and his voice was strained, "What happened next?"

She had trouble talking about this part. "As it turned out, the Red X had wanted to…hurt me as well. He had me against the wall like the other man had done, and… he kissed me." Her last words were whispered, as if saying it out loud would make it happen again. She saw Richard's hands were clenched, and his knuckles were turning white. She stood up and walked over to where he was, she put a tentative hand on his shoulder, afraid he would brush it off.

"How'd you get away?" she jumped a little at his voice. It wasn't angry, it was emotionless, and for a second, she would've preferred it if he were shouting in rage.

"Robin, the Boy of Wonder, saved me and took me home. He helped me feel a little better."

To her surprise, and relief, he chuckled, "Really? If it were me, I'd be scared half to death to see a masked kid in an outfit that looks like it belongs to the circus." He chuckled at his own expense.

"No, he actually did not frighten me. In fact, he was very kind to me and was the one who told me to call a friend."

"So you called _me_?"

She stared at him, or rather his back (he still wasn't facing her), in confusion. "Of course Richard. You are the best friend I have ever had."

He was just about to break down into raving, love struck lunatic when the cold wisdom of logic just _had _to insert itself, "Star, do you realize that while we met three months ago, out of all that time, we have only been together for three _days_?" He suddenly realized how the "been together" had sounded. Fortunately, Star hadn't.

"_X'hal_, you are correct. It has seemed longer, but, what does this have to do with anything?"

"Star, I hardly know you, and vice-versa. I don't think I would've been the best choice for a confidante." _CURSE YOU LOGICAL ROBIN! _CURSE YOU!

Star was silent for a moment. She could see what he was talking about. Calling Pam or Rebecca would have been the more logical choice. But it was a good thing she didn't care terribly for logic. "Then tell me about yourself."

Richard turned and met her innocent, waiting eyes. He was shocked at this reaction, frankly; no one had _ever_ wanted to get to know _him_. "What?"

"You said that we know nothing of each other and that is the reason we cannot confide in each other, yes?"

_Wow, it sounds real stupid when she says it._

_Hey!_

"So, begin sharing. Or I will if you wish."

He looked her in the eye; _she's actually serious. _He found himself nodding, and as they sat on her comfortable burgundy colored couch, she told her story.

"My parents," she began getting settled, "were no ordinary Tamaranians, they were the leaders, royalty, if you will. And therefore my sister and I were 'princesses'. Since my sister was older than I, she would naturally ascend the throne upon my parents death. However, she was not as she seemed.

She was a very kind, generous, and all around 'cool' person…when she was in public. Only I knew of her double life, for she would always make me suffer the consequences of her transgressions. I believe the term is that I was the 'scapegoat'?" Richard nodded, and she went on.

"One day, my sister got into very serious trouble, she stole a valuable jewel, and once again she tried to blame me. However, she hadn't known that I had been sick the previous night and my parents had been with me the entire time. So, her façade was shattered, and I told my parents everything, except they believed me that time. They disowned my sister that day, and they were going to tell everyone within the week. They also decided to make _me_ their new heir."

"My sister…was not pleased, to say the least, and she has a vindictive personality. She came into contact with rebels who did not like my parents' rule, and they stopped us on our way to the assembly hall a few days later. My parents resisted and distracted our captors, while I managed to escape. But by the time I had come back with the authorities, it…was too late."

Tears were streaming down her face, but her voice remained strong. "Since no one of status knew that my sister had been disowned, and there was no way to connect her to the murders, she ascended the position as leader." She stopped for a moment, then continued.

"But, in the Tamaranian law, one heir may challenge the other to a duel, and the victor receives rulership. I had challenged my sister, and I succeeded. My sister was imprisoned under my orders, but she escaped. My parent's councilors and Galfore were fearful for my safety, so we decided to move to America until my sister is recaptured."

Now finished, she sat quietly, although her tear ducts were still working overtime.

Richard stared at her, in a mixture of shock and awe, _Man, and I thought _I _had it bad! To have your parents murdered by your own _sister_! And she's acting so calm now when a few minutes ago she nearly got r-_ he couldn't even finish the thought.

They both sat in silence for a few minutes, "Well," he finally said, " My turn."

He told her all about his childhood, his life on the highwire. He told her about his parents, what wonderful people they were, how happy he was to perform with them, how happy he had been in general. Then he recounted how his parents had tried to stop a madman from killing everyone in the circus tent, and how the man had snapped the trapeze cables and they fell to their deaths. He told her how he had tried to save them, but had been to late. He told her everything, save his becoming Robin of course.

And just when Richard had thought that Star couldn't be more considerate, she was. Once again, she forgot her problems in light of his.

_She's crying harder than when she was talking about her _own _parents murders! And she's trying to comfort me too! No darn wonder I love her-_

_Wait, _Robin broke in,_ LOVE HER?! You barely know her-wait, I… guess you can't use that excuse anymore._

_Yeah, that's right! That's great!_

_No it's not; you still can't love her. _

_Why?!_

_Because…um…you've…just…met her! Yeah that's it! Get it together Grayson, you just met her!_

_Oh good grief._

_Shut up Charlie Brown and cheer up Starfire._

Agreeing with Robin for once, Richard decided to tell her about how they had once placed a bet with Vic, and he lost so they made him go to school the next day wearing a pink tutu. This sent Star into gales of laughter, much to his delight and relief, especially when she saw it on the Internet, where Richard and Gar had immediately posted the footage.

After that, a full recount of the funnier moments in both of their lives ensured, and after that they started talking about absolutely nothing, and after _that_ they watched movies/TV until they fell asleep.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**YAAAYYYY! I've FINALLY finished this chappie! And I'm sorry about the pointless fluff, but in my opinion, it's the best type! Now to update Blue October :)**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	6. A Wake Up Call and A Fire Drill

**Mad Mod: 'Ello my duckies! Skyler cahn't be heahr t'day, so I, Mad Mod, shall be fillin in. So clahss, look into my swerly screen and say "biscuits."**

**Me: (busts out of closet, bound and gagged) MMMMmmmm! Mm-Mm! NmMn!**

**Mad Mod: eh… don't pay attention to the tied up guhrl (tries to shove me back into closet).**

**Me: (frees hand and slugs "Moddy," then removes gag) AH! Stupid Brit! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! (For the record, I like most British people, they're pretty polite and I like to listen to them. Which reminds me, I don't own Camilla Windsor, Prince Charles does and personally, he can keep her.)**

**Mod: (leaves with a nice black eye)**

**Me: OK disclaimer time (Sits at computer) I own TT (looks expectantly at door)**

**(2 minutes later)**

**Me: O-kaayy, I guess I DO own TT. (Takes a few seconds to let it sink in) AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I OWN TEEN TITANS! GO SKYLER! GO SKYLER! I'M OWNER, GET FUNKAY! I'M GONNA THROW A PARTY, and then… TEEN TITANS IS GOIN BACK ON THE AIR! (Wipes tear from eye) I've never been so happy in all my life! **

**(There is a knock at the door)**

**Me: Aww man! (Nearly stars cryin for real) Figures. (Opens door)**

**Mermaid Man (from Spongebob): Who is it?**

**Barnacle Boy: _You_ knocked on the door, you old coot!**

**Me: This is just plain stupid, of all the people to crush my hopes and dreams, it had to be _you_ two?**

**MM: I'll have a #1 no onions with a side of bran.**

**Me: (closes door) I don't own Denny's (Although a Grand Slam sounds nice) I don't own a Laz-Y-Boy, but I want one, and don't rub it in my face if you have one. I also don't own TT, but neither do you. So there.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**A Wake up Call and a Fire Drill Chp 6**

Richard was much to his dismay, waking up. He moved his hand in protest, as if to wave away his consciousness. However, his hand brushed against something soft and warm, which, at first, he couldn't identify, but then the scent of green apples wafted to his nose.

_Star, _he thought sleepily. For some reason, his mind started to race and told him to open his eyes. _Why? _he complained mentally, _I like this dream. _But his mind persisted, so he cracked his eyes slightly, to see Star asleep on his chest, with their hands intertwined, and his arm wrapped around her waist. _Mmm, I could wake up like this everyday._

He closed his eyes again and tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her closer to him and accidentally pressing one of the bruises a mugger had given him a few days ago. He moved her slightly and settled down, _That's better. _Suddenly, his conscious mind fused with his semi-conscious one and he thought about what had happened.

In dreams, you weren't supposed to feel pain. Also, he had gone over to Star's last night, but he didn't remember leaving. In fact, the last thing he remembered before going to sleep was turning off the TV with Star asleep on his shoulder and putting a tentative arm around her because she was shivering, so that means… His eyes flew open.

_Ohh…_

He tried to disentangle himself but her free hand closed around his shirt, causing him to stop. When she relaxed, he tired to move, and again she stirred. She stretched in her sleep, and the hand that was in his ended up entangled in his hair, causing him to concentrate on Camilla Windsor and Ms. Hive very, _very_ hard. Then Star began playing with his hair. Richard nearly started crying.

_WHY MUST SHE DO THIS TO ME! _his tortured mind screamed.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Starfire awoke to a strange thumping sound. She opened her eyes and instantly remembered what had happened, where she was, and the rapid beating was Richard's heart. At first, she was content and comfortable in his arms, but then she remembered and her eyes shot open. Muttering some Tamaranian curses under her breath, she slowly, slowly lifted her red face and looked up…to see Richard's eyes were closed.

She sighed in relief _Thank X'hal! It would have been most embarrassing for him to have woken up and discover that I was sleeping on him and was playing with his…goodness, what does he apply in his hair to make it so crisp and soft at the same time? And does he do the working out? His abdomen is- NO! YOU MUST STOP THIS KORIAND'R! It is not proper to think of your friend in this way! …No matter how handsome he is._

Carefully, she slowly lifted herself off his chest and stood up, immediately noticing the lack of warmth and comfort. She glanced down at the male who had become her best friend, and saw that he had also started shivering. She looked around the room until her eyes settled on a nearby blanket. She unfolded it then draped it over the sleeping boy-almost-man.

She collapsed into a chair that reclines and leaned it back. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but found that she could not, so she opened her eyes, and found herself looking into a pair of ice blue ones, currently twinkling with amusement with one situated under a cocked eyebrow.

_God, he looks sexy…EEEK! _PAM_! WHERE DID YOU COME FROM!_

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

As soon as Star woke up, Richard did the only thing he could think of: pretend to be asleep until he could think of what to do next. He had felt her lift her head and could tell that she was looking at him, which caused his face to heat up slightly. She sighed, which concerned him but was pushed aside by the interest of what she was doing.

He cracked his eyes slightly open to see her lift herself up, and he resisted the urge to clasp his arms together to compensate for the warmth he just lost. But the blanket that was placed carefully over him quickly alleviated this.

He heard her walk a few steps away, and saw her crash into a Laz-Y-Boy. After a moment, she opened her eyes, to be met instantly with his. "Morning Star," he said with a cheerful laziness.

Starfire's face lit up like sunshine, causing Richard's smile to grow larger; she was a morning person too. "A good morning to you too Richard! I trust you had a pleasant shlorvak?"

Richard guessed that meant a good sleep, so her answered, "Yep, what about you?" She was about to answer when her face scrunched up cutely in a yawn, which she covered ladylike. Then she lifted her arms above her head and clasped her hands together, slightly showing her stomach and stretching with the fluid gracefulness of a cat. Her face was an expression of pure contentment.

She opened her eyes lazily and saw a strange sight. Richard's eyes were unfocused and unblinking, with his mouth slightly agape. "Richard? Are you…O-K?"

Richard snapped out of his daze and blushed furiously, "Uh y-yeah! I'm f-fine." _Stupid stuttering!_

"Are you sure?" she persisted, cocking her head to the side and once again reducing him to a love struck fool.

_How does she DO that? She acts and looks so darn…sexy! And the worst part is: SHE DOESN'T EVEN REALIZE IT!_

_Easy Richard, _said Robin, _control yourself. DO _NOT _grab her and kiss her senseless._

_Aww C'MON dude! You don't find her even a LITTLE attractive?_

_Yes, sort of-_

_SORT OF? Oh for the love of X'hal! How can you be me?!_

_Did you just say X'hal?_

_Don't change the subject._

_Fine…GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF!_

_Maybe just a little kiss?_

_No._

_You suck!_

_I do what I can._

"Want to go out for some breakfast?" he finally said aloud feeling the need to get away from his rather weird mental conversations.

"Oh yes!" she agreed enthusiastically, "Breaking the fast of the night sounds most enjoyable! But I must change first, I will be back soon!" she ran up the stairs.

She returned 10 minutes later and Richard's jaw was in its usual position: on the floor.

She was wearing a powder blue baby doll T-shirt that said "Angel" in yellow cursive. But there was nothing angelic about the dark silvery blue stretch jeans she was wearing that to Richard, looked painted on. She was wearing her usual Vans, and an unusual silver band that reached halfway up her bicep. Another thing that was different was the fact that she was wearing makeup, she had gone with the "smoky" look, and the grayish-blue eye shadow gave her eyes a darker, more mysterious sheen. To finish off the look, her hair was pulled into a ponytail, with two strands loose and framing her face.

In other words, Aphrodite and all the other legendary beautiful women were probably a healthy shade of green, and Richard needed a bucket for his drool.

Closing his mouth abruptly, and refusing to open it for fear of what might fall out of it, or what it might fall onto **(A/N: cougherlipscough) **he motioned her out the door and her got on his bike. However, Star looked a little hesitant,

"What's wrong?"

Star's face was red, "I apologize, it is…I have never ridden on such a vehicle before, are you certain that it is safe?"

"Totally," he assured, "Don't worry Star, I wont let _anything_ happen to you." Comforted, she slung her long leg over the bike and, after a moment's hesitation, placed her arms around his waist, trying not to notice the well-toned abs her hands were resting on.

Richard was mad. Does this girl _try_ to torment him? Does she _deliberately_ go out of her way to make herself look drop dead gorgeous, then have to hug him and get him high off those green apples? HOW WAS HE SUPPOSED TO CONCENTRATE ON THE ROAD WHEN THERE WAS A GODDESS SITTING BEHIND HIM! HUH?! Life was _so_ unfair.

With these thoughts in mind, he jammed his helmet on his head. "Hold on," he heard himself say as he turned on the bike, and almost like an afterthought, "By the way, you look really nice today Star." _Understatement of the MILLENIUM Boy Blunder!_

He didn't give Star a chance to answer, because he let go of the brake and the bike shot out of the driveway, causing Starfire to tighten her grip around Richard's waist; whether it was from the speed or his comment, he wasn't sure.

Starfire went from fear to exhilaration in a moment's time, and she started laughing. Ho exhilarating! This two-wheeled vehicle was as joyous as flight! As her fear lessened, so did her grip on Richard's waist, much to his dismay. Suddenly, a devilish thought came to mind, and he pressed harder on the accelerator, making them pop a wheelie. Star squealed loudly and adorably from anger, surprise, and delight, making Richard's ear start ringing, and tightened her grip on Richard, who at the moment didn't care if he went deaf from her scream, so long as it her arms were around him.

They finally found a Denny's, and after a pancake breakfast, where Star grossed out the waitress by substituting mustard for syrup, Richard decided to show her the sights.

They were halfway up one of the tallest buildings in the city when Richard realized that he had forgotten his Razor and his wallet, so he excused himself and went back to his bike. No sooner had he shut the compartment on the bike than an explosion shook the air. The sound of a fire alarm followed, but this time, it wasn't a drill.

Richard sighed, opened the secret compartment on his bike, and pulled out his costume, not bothering to turn around. _I'm gonna have to ditch Star,_ he thought. But then he turned, and realized, to his horror, that the flaming building was the one Starfire was in.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**MUHUHAHAHA! I'm evil xp. Who knows how long it'll take me to update Blue October, so the question is, when will I update? In a day? A month…?**


	7. Stronger Than She Looks

**…Or a half hour. Tee Hee! Hadja goin for a second didn't I? Heeeerrrreeeessss Chappie! **

**Oh yeah, don't own anything, and um…BEWARE THE FLUFF!**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Stronger Than She Looks Chp 7**

Richard, now Robin, raced up the flame lit stairs, only to be blocked by the panicked people running down them. After trying, and failing to go against the flow, he finally jumped over the railing, letting out a grappling hook in the process.

The door to the floor Star was in was locked, and Robin opened it with a powerful fear/fury based kick. Inside, he saw something that made him go weak-kneed with relief. Starfire was there, like an oasis of calm in a sea of chaos, trying to help the people out of the burning building. "Starfire," he breathed, not noticing the people shoving him out of the exit's way.

Somehow, through the screams of the people and the roar of the fire, Star heard him, and turned. Her face lit up like sunshine, "Robin," she also breathed, "Thank _X'hal_!" She ran forward and gave him a fierce, but not strangling hug. Richard nearly melted into it, but Robin had other plans.

"Starfire?"

"Hmm?"

"Burning building?"

"Oh…yes," she giggled, a little hysterically, and the two ran for the door, only to find that a large piece of the burning ceiling had collapsed in front of it. Robin ran to a wall, examined it, then turned, his face grim.

"These walls are made from reinforced steel and concrete, my electric discs wouldn't even make a dent in these walls. I'm sorry Star." He couldn't bring himself to look at her; instead, he tried to find another solution.

Finding none, he reached for his mask in a rash move. If they were going to die, he may as well tell the girl he loved, yes _loved_, who he was, maybe get a kiss, and die a happy man. But Star's unusually soft voice interrupted him, "Robin?" she didn't give him time to reply, "Since you wear a mask, you have secrets yes?"

He nodded, confused by such an off-topic question. "Then can I trust you with a secret of mine?" Not quite sure where this was going, he nodded again.

"Very well," she approached the wall and closed her eyes. Then, a confident expression found its way across her features. She opened her eyes, and instead of the eyes he knew so well, there were two neon green lights in their places. She didn't seem to hear Richard's gasp as she slammed her fists into the wall, causing a large crack.

Robin's eyes were as big as his mask. She stood back, kicked the wall, and their exit was made.

Starfire turned to Robin and held out her hand, which he took dazedly. He started to get out another grappling hook, but she stopped him, "Trust me," she urged, and her eyes were glowing again. She jumped out of the building, pulling Robin after her. As they were going down, he looked at her and saw her looking back, and her face was an expression of happiness. And suddenly…they stopped and hovered in midair, and Robin got the feeling it wasn't because he was magic.

But their hover was brief, as he heard the fire trucks, and his breath hitched, reporters arrived about the same time as the authorities. "We need to go, _fast_" she nodded, and they shot away from the area at an incomparable speed. It was so fast, in fact, that the force made him parallel with the ground and the air slamming into his face went by too quickly for him to get a decent lungful of air. That plus all the smoke he inhaled, even though he had worn an oxygen mask, and if that wasn't bad enough, he looked at Starfire.

Her ponytail had come loose, making her hair flow and wave in the wind like a flag, and as corny as it sounded, they were flying towards the sun. It gave Star an angelic glow, and her face was so happy, it further slowed down the already oxygen-deprived Boy Wonder's breathing.

_I always knew she was special,_ Richard thought dreamily, hardly noticing the fact that he was suffocating.

Eventually, his body's needs registered, so he took as deep a breath as he could, and he reluctantly tore his gaze from the flying beauty, and looked around for a place to land. Fortunately, he saw the perfect place: a park that at the time, had no one there.

Fighting against the force of the wind, he managed to move his free hand and tap Star's. She looked back at him, and his breath caught, but he managed to motion for them to land. She stopped abruptly, and they started to descend.

Although he had been a "Flying Grayson" he had never imagined that it would be on such a literal level, and even though his feet were back on _terra firma_ he still felt a little light headed.

"Wow." That was the only word for it, plus he was trying to clear his lungs of the smoke. Star now looked embarrassed, her face was the color of a cherry and she rubbed her hand nervously up and down her arm. "(Cough) How'd you-"

"I am…not from around here. I am actually not from this galaxy. I am from Tamaran…and my people generally have powers that Earthlings would consider…out of this world."

"You can say that again! (Cough)"

"Why do you want me to repeat myself?"

He coughed, but it turned into a chuckle, he couldn't help but love her naiveté, "Its an expression Star," he explained, then remembered, "Fire. Starfire." His cough this time didn't seem as real. "it means that you wholeheartedly agree with what someone has just said."

Once again, she gave her "understand" nod, except for some weird reason, he felt oddly angry with himself. No, he was angry with _Robin_, for explaining things to Star when Richard felt like it was his job. Robin then mentally slapped him. _Idiot! I _am_ you! How can you _possibly _be jealous of _yourself?

_Stranger things have happened._

_Ugh. This girl has got you _way _out of whack._

_Can I help it if I love her?_

…

_I _said_, 'Can I help it if I _love _her'?_

…

_Hello?_

…_Not really._

…_Oh. My. GOD! YOU LOVE HER TOO!_

_NO I DON'T!_

_Methinks thou doth protest too much._

_SHUTUP!_

_Say it._

_No._

_You know you want to. You feel SO much better afterwards._

_I prefer the pain._

_C'mon Robbie! You _love _Star!_

_NO I DON'T!_

_(Richard mentally smirks and raises eyebrow)_

_I DON'T!_

…

_DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! SAY SOMETHING!_

…

_FINE! I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER HAPPY ATTITUDE! I LOVE HER NAVIETE! I LOVE THE WAY HER HAIR FLOWS IN THE WIND! I LOVED THE WAY HER EYES LIT UP WHEN SHE SAW ME! I LOVE HER! THE COLD, EMOTIONLESS, CARES ABOUT NOTHING EXCEPT CATCHING VILLAINS ROBIN IS IN LOVE WITH STARFIRE ANDERS! HAPPY?_

_Yes._

_Your never gonna let me live this down, are you?_

_No._

_(Robin begins crying pathetically)_

Meanwhile, a triumphant Richard was whipping out his Razor, causing Star to ask why. "Getting a ride," he replied, then cleared his throat. As if on cue, the R-cycle pulled up. "Get on," he invited, "I'll take you home."

"NO!" she said panicky, I _cannot_ go home!" Robin cocked an eyebrow under his mask. "I…cannot explain, and please do not ask me to. I do not wish to endanger you, and at that we shall leave it there. Is that O-K?"

The pleading look on her face made him take her at her word, "All right, I know a place we can go."

She smiled gratefully, "Thanks." Now, she was once again sitting behind a cute boy on a motorcycle. As she wrapped her arms around her stomach, the words _perfect fit_ came to mind.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Robin decided to be a little more daring on his bike than Richard is, since he was allowed to break the speed limit anyway. So, in addition to going faster, he popped wheelies everytime the traffic light turned green and took turns so sharply that it seemed like they were going to tip over. Star screamed/laughed the entire ride and he loved it. They headed for a derelict old building, whose wall lifted when Robin pressed a button on the R-Cycle. He turned off the bike and got off. He held out his hand to Star, who took it and did the same shakily. "Enjoy the ride?" he teased

Star turned to him and said irritated, "You are worse than Richard." But the way her eyes were eyes were sparkling belied her words.

But then the look was gone as her eyes opened wide and she yelled, "Oh _X'hal _RICHARD!"

Robin nearly started panicking, thinking she had discovered his identity, but her next words calmed him, "I must contact him! He does not know where I am; I left him at the scraper of sky! He might have tried to locate me in the building! _X'hal gopt'a ina'r mes'na eyther cyn'a? U'ona amc'o seesna'r fin_! (A/N: Translated: What if he's hurt? I'll never forgive myself if he is!) Zol-"

He grabbed her shoulders. "Starfire calm down!" Her tearstained face tore at his heart. "I have a phone, you can call him inside. OK?" She nodded, now too embarrassed to speak, and Robin headed for an imposing steel door with a speaker, keypad, and scanner next to it.

"Voice key please," said a robotic voice from the speaker.

"Robin and one guest," he replied, then punched in a code on the keypad, and, after making sure Star wasn't looking, he lifted his mask and the eye scanner flashed. Two seconds later, the voice said, "Confirmed," and the door slid open, to reveal a more normal looking door, like the one you find at a house. There was a giggle behind him and he turned to see Star with her hands over her mouth, desperately trying to squelch her laughter. "It makes it feel homey." He defended as he pulled out a key and inserted into the lock.

They walked in, and Star looked over Robin's place approvingly. It was well lit and inviting, with a comfortable couch and TV on one side, and a kitchen on the other. "I need to check up on the fire," said Robin, "You can call your friend over there," he pointed to a telephone, then left into a room with a lot of computers and shut the door.

Star grabbed the cordless phone and started to call Richard, when she remembered Galfore. She hung up and called him, and explained in rapid Tamaranian what happened. After that, she called Richard, who picked up on the first ring. "Hello?" he said worriedly.

She let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding, "Richard?"

"_STAR!_ Thank God you're OK! What happened? I saw the fire and something shoot out of the building. I tried to get in there but the firemen wouldn't let me, so I had to wait forever and pull my hair out until you came. Then when they said that everyone was out, YOU WEREN'T WITH THEM! I was worried _sick_!

"I apologize for causing you ailment Richard, and I hope that you did not pull _all_ of your hair out; I do not think your appearance would benefit with you being bald." To her relief, he chuckled. "The reason I did not accompany everyone outside was because Robin had helped me escape out of the building."

"Wait. Bird Boy saved you _again_?"

"Yes, it was very odd, he seemed to appear at the right place and time! He was _very_ brave!"

"That's nice Star, where are you?"

"Um…Robin's home."

"_WHAT_ !"

"Since I am unable to return to my own home, Robin had kindly provided me with a temporary shelter."

"NO _WAY_! If you don't have a place to stay, the only person who'll provide you with a temporary shelter is _me_!

"Richard, I couldn't-"

"Yes you can, and yes you wil1! There is _no way_ I'm gonna leave you alone with the Human Traffic Light!"

She giggled slightly, then said in as stern a voice as she could manage, "Richard, that 'traffic light' has saved my life, _twice_. Are you not _grateful_?"

"Of _course_! I just…he has a lot of enemies…and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Richard, I am fully capable of taking care of myself, and I trust Robin to keep me out of harm's way. But if you are still concerned, I will accept your offer and come to your home as soon as I am able."

"Thank you," he said, and the relief was evident in his voice.

"I welcome you, good bye Richard."

"See ya soon Star." She placed the phone back on its cradle and turned to see the Boy Wonder himself leaning against the door with an eyebrow cocked under his mask.

"Human Traffic Light?"

Star gasped, "Were you dropping eaves?" she accused. A chuckle and slight shrug was her answer. She was going to question him more forcefully when she thought of something. _His laughter, it is very like Richard's._ She opened her mouth to voice the connection when an alarm went off.

Robin ran back into the computer room and started typing rapidly on the mainframe. After awhile, he cursed under his breath and turned back to Starfire with an annoyed look on his face. "Ugh, I'm sorry Star…fire, there's a robbery at a jewelry store downtown that I need to take care of."

She nodded in a mixture of understanding and sympathy, "Very well, I will make my journey to Richard's-"

"NO!" Robin yelled. _If she goes to my house _now _I won't be there. And even if she is naïve, Star isn't stupid and she'll put two and two together._

Her face scrunched up in confusion, "Why not?"

"Why? Oh, ummm… this robbery wont take long, and I can take care of those losers in nothing flat and-"

"Robin," she interrupted, grinning suddenly, "Are you insisting that I stay here because you are concerned for my well-being?"

"Uh…" his face turned several shades of red, "Well uh… yes." he looked steadfastly at his shoes. Then, he felt something warm pressed softly against his face. His head snapped up and he touched the place where she kissed him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Star beat him to it, "Now go kick the butt Robin," she encouraged.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Hee hee, I love my job. Although I don't get paid for it :p Now for Blue October.**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	8. Welcome to The Wayne House

**Me: Hey guys I'm baaackkk! **

**Readers: (run away screaming)**

**Me: Aww C'mon! I'm not _that_ bad! Besides, I've got a warm fresh update for you!**

**Readers: YAY SHE UPDATED!! (Come stampeding back)**

**Me: (hair windblown and lookin dazed) Uh yeah, follow them.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, but maybe the Contract Fairy will give me the TT owner's signature if I leave a contract under my pillow. One can hope! And I don't own Regis Philbin. For that, I do not hope (dude's kinda annoying).**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Welcome to the Wayne House Chp 8**

The entire time he was on his bike, he was thinking of Star. She was an alien, and it was just now sinking in. Like any confusing situation he ever came to, Robin confronted it directly with an logical approach.

Starfire's alien-ness _did_ explain a lot, like her manner of speaking and language, not to mention food preferences. He chuckled, then s thought struck him, _she had said that her parents were the leaders of Tamaran, which I can assume_ _is not an island. Well, does that mean that her parents were the King and Queen? Does that make Star a Princess? It _would_ explain why her sister was so desperate to be the heir; being the ruler of an entire planet isn't something to sneeze at._

He reviewed and analyzed everytime he had spent with Star, until he came to the point where she had proven the age-old proverb of "things are not always as they appear." If he hadn't pulled Starfire out of the way of that SUV, would Star have been hurt at all? Would she have flown out of the way? Or pick the car up? Or would she have simply let it crash into her and total it? Suddenly, his mind and heart came to a one-time only agreement. These questions about Star's race shouldn't matter. The only question that should be asked was did the fact that the girl he loved was an alien change the way he felt about her?

The question was still unanswered as five men left the jewelry store in front of him, each wearing some of the stolen wares.

The leader, who had donned several necklaces, rings, and a tiara, called over his shoulder, "Thanks Pops, my princess'll feel like a queen in this when we get married." He turned to come face-to-face with the Boy Wonder.

Robin smirked down at the leader and once again felt eternal gratefulness for puberty; it's hard to intimidate crooks when you're 5 inches shorter than they are.

"Aww that's sweet," he cooed mockingly, "Too bad you'll be spending your honeymoon in jail." Robin rolled his eyes behind his mask at his own words. Corny hero lines were one of the stupider habits he had picked up from Batman.

With an appeasing smile and a laugh that was half a moan, the man took of his crown and offered it to the amused hero. "It'll look better on you anyway."

Robin chuckled and cracked his knuckles, for some reason, he was looking forward to this. After all, he just might be on TV and a certain alien might be watching.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

_I still love her_.

That was his final answer Regis, no doubt in his mind. It didn't matter that she came from space; he had always thought of her as a shooting star, even before he knew her name. Changing his feelings about her would be just as ridiculous as not going out with someone because they were of another race. Just because she was royalty, and an alien, and had superpowers, it didn't matter to him, so long as she was the same Starfire he loved.

He was smiling happily as he opened the door to his hideout, but when he saw what was inside, the smile disappeared into a look of shock, amazement, slight anger, then finally, into loving amusement. Starfire was parading around his place in his uniform.

Somehow, she had altered the outfit into her style; the shirt was now a crop-top and was…uh _tighter_ than usual, the green tights he wore were now turned into capris and were cut off a few inches above his black steel-toed boots. His utility belt was hanging askew off her small waist, but she hadn't tampered with the gloves and cape, the latter now gently billowing behind her like a flag as she flew.

The Tamaranian giggled as she took out a bo staff and extended it. She began fighting an invisible assailant, and Robin noticed with a start that while she was playing around and giggling, her moves and general technique was very good. He watched her as she fought, and with a final battle yawp, she whipped out a bird-a-rang and threw it at a fly that was buzzing innocently by the kitchen. And pinned it to the wall.

Robin's eyes bugged out of his head. _She hit it… She actually hit it._ It had taken him the better part of 3 years to develop that kind of accuracy.

And faced with the fact that the person he loved for her innocence and kindness could totally kick butt, he did the only thing he could think of, he clapped.

Star whirled around, a shocked look on her face, and Robin realized that he couldn't really tell what she was feeling, because of his mask over her expressive emerald eyes. He inwardly frowned, not being able to see Starfire's eyes was almost as bad as not seeing her at all. But he shook off the thought in favor of fighting off laughter as Starfire 1blushedand tried tothe bo staff behind her, "I believe I am, busted?" she said meekly.

"_So _busted," he agreed, grinning.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

She left his room, this time wearing her own clothes and carrying his uniform. Not shifting her gaze from the floor, she held the outfit to him, almost like a peace offering. "Nah," he objected and pushed it back to her, "you can keep it."

She looked up, and he smiled at the eyes he knew so well, "Truly?"

"Sure, I don't think I'd look good in a crop-top anyway." She giggled and nodded in agreement.

"C'mon, let's get you to Grayson's house before he blows a gasket. Do you wanna stop by your place first to get some clothes?"

She shook her head emphatically, "That is not necessary, my _K'norfka_, Galfore, has arranged for such necessities to be brought to me."

"Alright then, do you have everything?" She nodded. Then let's go."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

"You are to make a left turn here Robin," Star shouted above the wind. He nodded and pulled out onto his street, stopping almost immediately by a large group of bushes. Her bewilderment showed on her face as she got off the bike.

He answered her unspoken question, "I can't just pull up there, the place is swarming with cameras and maybe some paparazzi, and the next thing we both know, people are following you around asking if you and I have "a thing" going on."

"What sort of 'thing'?"

He blushed and waved it off, "Nothing, I just have to drop you off here." He held out his hand, "I'll see you around Star. Fire"

She cocked her head, "When will I see you next?"

_In a few minutes, _he thought, but tried to come up with a satisfactory answer. Suddenly, he realized exactly what to do.

"Whenever you want."

Star opened her mouth but closed it when he pulled a small device out of his belt and handed it to her. "If you ever need me or just want to talk, press this button," he demonstrated, "and I'll be there."

She took the device and ran a finger lightly over it, examining its every detail. She looked up and with a blazing smile threw her slender arms around his neck, much to his surprise and delight. "Thank you Robin, for everything, and I shall look forward to seeing you around."

He nearly melted in her embrace and continued to stare stupidly at her as she walked down the road to his house. Wait. _His house!_ Violently jerking himself out of his dreamland, he opened the secret passage to the Bat Cave in the bushes, revved his bike, and roared in.

He had always prided himself on the fact that he could always beat Bruce in suiting up, though in all fairness, his uniform wasn't a black rubber body suit that was nearly impossible to put on. But now, he was a blur as he tired to change into regular clothes, which consisted of a pair of his favorite faded, worn, stained, and comfortable blue jeans and a red shirt with the words "I don't hate you, I just like everything else better" in black.

Rapidly mussing his hair and running up the stairs two at a time, he heard the bell at the front gate ring just as the secret passage closed. He heard Alfred ask who was there and Star's angelic voice answering. He forced himself to relax and get his breathing down to normal, briefing himself on how to act in the meantime.

_OK Richard, remember, you haven't seen her in…_ he looked at the clock, 5:12.

_Man its that late already! _

_Focus. _

_Right, you haven't seen her in a few hours and you've been worrying for the better part of them. Act like it. Try to remember the feelings you had when you were going up those stairs._

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Richard jerked open the door before Starfire had a chance to knock, a wild look in his blue eyes, that instantly ebbed from him as he visibly relaxed before her. "Star," he breathed in a voice thatsent chills up and down her back. But they were good chills, oddly enough.

She smiled as comfortingly as she could, "Hello Rich-" the "ard" was buried in his chest as he pulled her into a relieved hug, and the chills disappeared into a comfortably limp warm feeling.

"I was so worried," she heard him murmur to himself and the warm feeling grew as she returned his hug. After a moment, he let go and Starfire could see that his cheeks were a faint red color, and she felt her face burning a bit as well. He looked past her expectantly, then returned his puzzled gaze to her, although he didn't quite meet her eye, she noted. "Uh, don't you have clothes or something?" She shook her head and explained to him what she had to Robin. "Alright then, should I give you the dime tour?"

Her face fell, "I do not have any money."

He chuckled and said, "Don't worry about it Star, its just an expression. I was asking if you wanted to take a look around where you're going to stay."

Her eyes lit up as she said, "Yes, I have been very excited to see your home!"

He smiled and stepped aside, bowing extravagantly, "Welcome to Wayne Manor, milady."

"Milady" giggled and walked into the house, staring at everything in awe. She admired the little figurines and statues, marveled at the mosaic on the tiled floors, and "Ooed" at the cavernous ceilings, laughing at their echo.

She could have stayed in the foyer all day, but her curiosity about the rest of the house was too great. Richard also could have stayed in the foyer all day watching Star, but fought the wish and forcibly led Star from the room.

Pouting slightly, she left the foyer, only to stop on sight of a man in front of them. His age could have been anywhere from late fifties to early seventies, so straight was his posture and sharp eyes, even though he wore thick glasses. His outfit consisted of a crisp black suit with tailcoats, a gray vest, a black tie, and gloves and a shirt that perfectly matched his snow-white hair. He was British, Star could see that, and even a blind man could sense his quiet, unyielding dignity that nothing could ever change.

Starfire, being the friendly person she was, ran up to him, but sensing that hugging him wouldn't be inappropriate, settled for holding out her hand. "Hello sir, my name is Kori Anders, though my friends address me as Starfire. Please, what is your name?"

Alfred was surprised but didn't show it. This girl was _exactly_ like how Richard had described her: the most sweet, innocent, kind person to walk the earth. Which, in comparison to his other friends (he and Gar hadn't exactly gotten along) this was a refreshing change.

He smiled warmly and took her hand, bowing slightly over it, "Good evening Miss Anders, I am Alfred, Masters Bruce and Dick's butler. If you need anything, you need only call, and I'll be more than happy to help."

She laughed happily at his kindness, "Thank you sir, I am glad to be here and I will try not to be a burden."

He smiled once more. Yes, this was _definitely_ a refreshing change. He turned to Richard and bowed again, "Master Dick, Master Bruce asked me to inform you that he is waiting in the study to meet our guest."

Richard knew the double meaning to these words and grimaced slightly. Bruce, being the rash, paranoid person that he was, probably had a tongue lashing about inviting guests over at a superheroes home for an extended period of time without his permission. Then, he'd almost definitely give Star the 3rd degree, making absolutely sure that she was not some villain's accomplice.

He sighed, may as well get it over with.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

He walked through the door, making sure Star was close behind. Maybe Bruce wouldn't kill him if there was a witness who wouldn't want to see him die and had superpowers. Not that Bruce would _ever_ find out about that last part, Richard would make sure of it.

Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Richard's adoptive father, mentor and secretly The Batman stood up and turned to face our favorite teenagers. Gray-blue eyes scrutinized Starfire, who met his gaze innocently. Finally he spoke, and his words instantly put Richard on guard.

"So this is Starfire," he said light-heartedly, "Dick had told me _all_ about you."

Richard knew he was in trouble when Bruce called him Dick, but the words after that terrified him. Since Starfire was there, Bruce wasn't going to lecture him, he was going to humiliate him.

But like an innocent little mouse, Starfire destroyed the lion's plans in one fell hug, which surprised Bruce, to say the least. Richard clapped his hands over his mouth in attempt to stifle his laughter at the look on his mentor's face.

Before said mentor could do anything, Star was speaking. No worse, she was _thanking_ him, "Oh Mr. Wayne, I offer my _deepest_ gratitude for your hospitality. Many would not accept a stranger into their home, but you have and for that I am greatly indebted to you. It is no wonder that Richard speaks of you so highly!"

By now, Bruce looked like he had woken up to The King offering him a whopper and Richard was dancing around the room in barely suppressed elation, not caring about the death glares Bruce was sending over Star's head one bit.

Without any idea, Starfire had discovered The Dark Knight's one and only weakness: simple, pure, kindness. You can't fight true kindness, you can't accuse it of having a hidden agenda, and you definitely can't say anything to it, just smile and laugh uncomfortably and pray to God that they wont rub it in and will leave soon. So with this in mind, Star was _whipping_ Bruce's butt! And she didn't even _realize _it! With a person like this, how can Richard _not_ love her?

With a final squeeze, Starfire released the flustered and flattered Bruce and stepped back, "Well Mr. Wayne, I believe it is time for us to be adjourning, Richard had offered to give me a tour of your wonderful home. Thank you again!" And with that, she exited, with Richard running to catch up.

Bruce sat down, a little dazed, then he regained his composure, "You can come out from wherever you're hiding Alfred." The butler wordlessly stepped out of the secret compartment behind the bookcase.

"So Master Bruce, what do you think of Miss Anders?"

He thought for a bit. "I can see why Dick likes her," he said finally, "but he shouldn't get too close to her. She could possibly be used against him. But there is something different about her that I'm not sure that I like."

"Do you think, sir, that you are merely frustrated that she adequately bested you by turning your plans to embarrass Master Dick back on you in an entirely innocent, naïve way, without even realizing it?"

"Shut up Alfred."

"Yes sir."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

It wasn't until they were safely in the art room that Richard spoke, "Starfire," he said seriously; "do you realize what you just did?"

The Tamaranian turned from the painting she was looking at; "I expressed my gratitude to your father for his hospitality." she half-asked quizzically.

"Well, that too, but you also saved me from a long, boring lecture!" Star cocked her head. "When I invited you here, I hadn't really told Bruce about it."

To his surprise, she nodded, "I had expected that to be the case, which is why I made sure Mr. Wayne knew how appreciative I am," she turned back to the painting, or started to.

"Wait," she faced him again, "you acted all nice and sweet and grateful to Bruce, but you did it only to get me out of trouble?"

"Not _entirely,_ I do appreciate him letting me stay here, but I did have your interests in mind."

Richard couldn't believe it, the girl was not only an angel, but she was also a _great_ actor. He was _so _going to build a Starfire shrine, to which he would light a candle and bow to every day.

Richard's lack of response and dumbfounded expression made Starfire realize something. Her face changed abruptly into one of concern and slight fear, "Why do you ask? Have I done something-?" she cut herself off as Richard's face split into a huge smile that warmed her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

In one rash move, he picked her up into a hug and spun her around, shoving the warm feeling into insignificance. "ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou!!"

Starfire's initial relieved giggles turned to ecstatic screaming laughter as Richard spun her onto his back in one smooth motion, taking care that her feet never touched the ground, as if the elegant and expensive tile wasn't good enough for her.

The rest of the tour continued with Star riding piggyback and giggling at his foolishness. The teens' laughter could be heard throughout the house as they went from room to room. Richard's pace never faltered as he took Star through the kitchen, ball room, gym, library, living room, and a host of other rooms, but when he approached the huge staircase leading to the second story, he hesitated. Carrying someone got tiring after a while, even if it was someone as light as Star.

Realizing this, the Tamaranian let herself lift a little bit, which wasn't hard, since she had been fighting the urge to float to the ceiling ever since Richard picked her up.

Suddenly, Richard discovered that Starfire seemed a lot less heavy, _Must've gotten my second wind,_ he thought and went up the stairs. He was a quarter of the way up when he figured out what Star had done. He smiled, she truly was a considerate person. But why hadn't she simply gotten off? _She must like piggyback rides,_ he decided.

_Or maybe she likes _you_ giving her piggyback rides, _saidRichard slyly, and he was abruptly aware of how close her face was to his and her hair tickling his cheek, smelling of those accursed green apples. He also noticed her slender arms around his neck, remembering that they could break it like a toothpick if she wanted. Oddly though, the thought didn't scare him, only made him feel lightheaded, but in a good way. And he wasn't _even_ going to think about how each step made Star bob a little, therefore rubbing her body against his, and what _that _was doing to him. Was he walking up an escalator? Because it certainly felt that way.

After an eternity, they reached the top, "Alright, time to get off."

Star groaned in protest, "May I stay on longer?"

_If you were my girlfriend (which I _really_ wish were true) I would, but your not and I know if I breathe any more of those damned apples, I swear I will yank you off my back and kiss you until Gabriel blows his horn._

Instead of saying that, however, he just answered, "No," and let go of her.

Instead of taking the hint like he had hoped, she simply encircled his waist entirely with her legs. "More ride," she whined, then her voice turned silken "Please?"

He looked heavenward, _Why? Why do you hate me? Why did you have to make this girl as stubborn as she is beautiful? And give her the ability to get what she wants without even knowing it? Or worse, she does know it and uses it to her advantage? _He hadtoget her off his back before he went crazy. And the gods above took pity on him as he realized exactly what to do. He reached behind his back.

Starfire screamed and tried to get away without letting go. To no avail. Soon, she found herself on the floor, screeching with laughter as Richard tickled her. Eventually, he stopped and held out his hand. "Let's find your room shall we?" Star tried to be angry, but the adorable look on his face made it impossible. She giggled against her will and took his hand.

Finding Star a room to stay in was both easier and harder than Richard had thought. The easy part was that Star would be able to create her own room.

Bruce's style in decoration on the ground floors had been strict: elegant to near museum status. On the upper floor however, Bruce had let Richard and his friends have near free-reign on the guestrooms' design, since he didn't want to have to bother with it and Richard had his friends over all the time anyway. Plus, there was _no way_ Vic or Wally or Raven or Gar or any of the other Titans would _ever_ be willing to sleep in a Victorian-style canopy bed with pictures that looked like something out of _Anne of Green Gables. Especially_ Raven.

So, they all got one room apiece to decorate for themselves, and seeing how The Titans had…_varying_ tastes, Star saw every style of room ever thought of. Gothic: a blue one for Raven (although she wasn't allowed to see the inside) and a purple one for Jin, Teenage wasteland for Gar and Bee, with differences of bands and style of course. From the great outdoors: Ocean for Alan, Desert for Terra, to the heart of the city streets (for Wally, surprisingly). Then sports, technology, and auto mechanics for Vic, and finally to martial arts and a hint of acrobatics for Richard. All together, it made Titan's Tower, as it was christened the home-away-from-home for all of them.

Even after 9 rooms were taken, there were several "blank" ones left. The one of Star took was nearly as big as a master bedroom, with a wide bay window sporting a ledge that jutted out beneath it to serve as a seat or even a bed.

But it was where the room was situated that was the hard part. The room was across the hall from Richard's, and that meant even _more _teasing as well as added difficulty to sneak out for a mission; a she could hear him.

He was just about to suggest another room when Star sat on her bed and smiled happily, "I believe I am going to like staying here."

_Me too,_ thought Richard, pushing his initial thoughts aside.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Basically, the rest of the night went pretty much like the last one: the two teens having fun talking about virtually nothing, except it was at Richard's house, and there was a hidden camera watching the two.

_And it didn't belong to Bruce._

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Huttah! Another chappie done! And can ya guess whose camera it did belong to? I'll give you a hint: You won't see it coming. Or you might, depends on how ya look at it.**

**Hey guess what? I'm gonna put up a test! The person who answers the question first correctly will have a part in my story! I can't guarantee a big part, but you will be in there. Just put yer answer and yer real name. Or a fake name, so long as its realistic. **

**Oh, and a word of advice: I'm gonna count for detail, so the more specific you are, the bigger chance of being in my story.**

**Now for the Question. Ya ready?**

**Readers: JUST ASK IT ALREADY! (Throws rocks)**

**Me: (dodges _most_) OW! Geez, can't a girl put suspense? The question is: In chapter 5: The Titans, I describe a car.**

**What type is it? Who does it belong to? Where did I get it from? **

**Remember, _specify_ and put yer name.**

**Alright, enough of this, Blue October time. Ooh, I can't wait to write the awkwardness! Its hysterical! And entertaining. _Oh _so entertaining.**

**L8r**

**SAT :)**


	9. Visitors

**I have been waiting to write this chappie since day one. It's a pointless filler chapter and is just so funny! Or at least I hope it is. **

**Anyway I've almost hit 90 reviews!! I'm so happy! But what I'm _not_ happy about is the lack of people who knew the answer to my question!**

**The car is a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California and its from FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF!! (which is now mentioned in the story itself) Am I the ONLY one whose ever seen that movie!? The only person who even _tried _to answer was Samuraigur1213, who has won the contest! **

**SAT: Em, yer in the story, Congratulations! (Confetti falls from ceiling) So, while I work on your part in this story, can you help me clean this up?**

**Em: Uhhh…**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Air Hockey (but I love the game). I don't own Spiderman (though I wish I did, Tobey's CUTE!) I don't own Puss in Boots' "Big Eyes" trick, but I want a poster of it. And I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, I would have changed the movie only _slightly_. Robin and Starfire would have had a romantic scene in the Sakura (cherry trees, when Robin was rowing them around) and at the end their would have been a picture montage of the Titan's vacation (preferably one with Raven hurting Beast Boy again, that part cracked me up!)**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Visitors Chp 9 **

_One month later..._

Richard opened his eyes and looked at his clock, 6:59. _Hey, I woke up before the alarm-_

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

_Ugh, never mind._ He got out of bed and touched his toes, already in a good mood this early. **(A/N: Weirdo)**

After a week, the unknown emergency in Starfire's life had been sorted out, and she had been able to go home, but for some reason, she insisted on staying at the Wayne house, much to Richard's delight and Bruce's dismay. But some more flattering talk sorted that out. But it didn't take much. Secretly, Richard thought that Bruce had _wanted_ Star to say. She had been the epitome of the perfect houseguest. Besides, it really it was impossible not to like her happy disposition.

So she had been there for over a month now, and Richard couldn't be happier. He still didn't know why she had wanted to stay, or why she had to leave her home in the first place, but he didn't really care much. She'll tell him when she's ready. Or she'll tell Robin. But he really hoped it would be the former.

Anyway, in the month she had been there, all the Titans had gotten together to decorate yet another room. Her walls were painted a royal purple with Tamaranian symbols for "Love, Peace, Friendship, and Happiness" on each wall in blood red.Her bed was circular with pink sheets, and she had various pictures and knickknacks from both Tamaran and America scattered around the area. Basically-

"EEEEEAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Richard jerked up and nearly fell, "Starfire!"Without another thought, he ran down the stairs three at a time towards the foyer, where the scream came from. As he ran, he heard another scream, though it was muffled. He turned the corner and flew into the entryway in a fighting stance, ready for anything… except what he actually saw.

Starfire and some girl he didn't know were simultaneously hugging, jumping up and down, and screaming. Another girl to the side watched the pair in a mixture of annoyance and amusement, although he wouldn't have seen the last part at all if he hadn't known Raven and learned how to spot emotion in monotone people.

Starfire let go of the girl and Richard realized that the two visitors were twins. They both had honey brown hair, gray eyes, and their features were the same, but that's where the similarities ended.

The girl whom Star had been hugging had dyed the two bangs that reached her chin and the last two inches of her hair a pale ice blue, which seemed to make her eyes seem a little brighter, silvery gray. Her outfit consisted of khaki jeans with flowers embroidered up one leg, blue converse that matched her hair, and a dark pink tank top.

Her sister, on the other hand, who only had one bang dyed a dark blue, almost black, therefore giving her eyes a dark, thundercloud like color, was a completely different story. Her shirt was a dark green and had the words, "I'm not anti-social, I just hate you" in white. She was wearing black baggy jeans that completely covered her shoes and had several black plastic bracelets on her arms.

Star, arms outstretched, turned to this girl, who instantly raised her hand and fixed a stern expression. "What did I tell you about hugging?"

Starfire lowered her arms in disappointment, "Don't do it," she recited, then held out her hand.

The girl shook it, "Its nice to see you again Flame. So, is Richard going to introduce himself or is he just going to stand there?"

All attention turned to the confused young man, who promptly began blushing slightly. He suddenly realized how ridiculous he must look, fists doubled up, hair a mess, red drawstring sweats, and no shirt.

The girl who had been hugging Star smiled dazedly as she looked him up and down, "Flame said you were cute, but _dayem! _She didn't cover even _half _of it!"

Richard honestly couldn't tell who was more embarrassed at the moment. Was it Star, who just unintentionally had her thoughts on Richard's appearance uncovered (and speaking of uncovered, his rather impressive chest only further flustered her)? Or was it Richard, who just discovered the opinion and had been jumping for joy on hearing it? Maybe it was the other girl, who was experiencing empathic embarrassment for the other two. Hard to say, but the silence that passed was _definitely_ awkward.

Finally, the first girl broke the tension and held out her hand, "I'm sorry, I haven't even introduced myself yet. I'm Pam, and this is my sister Rebecca."

Richard's eyes opened wide, "_The_ Pam and Rebecca? The ones Star's always talking about?"

Rebecca had a mock-flattered expression, "We get a 'the'? Wow, never knew Flame liked us so much," she deadpanned.

"Why do you call Star 'Flame'?"

She scoffed, "Have you seen her hair? I should be asking you why you call her 'Star'."

"Have you seen her eyes?" he retorted. Rebecca smirked, Starfire's jaw fell before she turned red, and Pam's eyes widened as she pressed her hand over her mouth and began to shake and cough oddly.

At first, Richard was concerned, and then he knew: she was laughing, and for good reason. He mentally replayed what he just said, and now his face matched his sweatpants. "How do you do that?" he demanded, of the gothic girl, eyes narrowing.

"It's a gift," she answered, still smirking, unsympathetic to his plight.

Pam, however, was a little more caring, "So when do we get to meet the Titans? And what're we going to do after that?"

"Huh?" was the oh so intelligent answer.

"Flame's told us all about your friends, and I thought it'd be fun to go do something today. I did _not_ travel to California just to sit around."

Star (or Flame), eager to draw attention from what had just happened and her bright red face, started pushing Pam from the room, asking about "what was up in Gotham" as they went. Rebecca, however, remained behind, much to Richard's dismay. "So Robin," she asked as he watched Star go, "How long have you loved her?"

"Since I met her," he replied in a voice laden with despair and adoration. Wait. WAIT!! SHE JUST GOT HIM TO ADMIT THAT HE LOVED STARFIRE AND SHE CALLED HIM ROBIN!!

Despite the million thoughts and emotions going a mile a minute in his head, his voice was deceptively calm, "Wait, did you just call me _Robin_? My name's Richard."

She rolled her eyes, "Don't even try, Boy Blunder, I know its you. But you didn't try to deny your feelings for Flame…interesting."

Richard didn't quite know what to say, "H-how, wha-"

"Like I said," she answered smugly, "It's a gift. But don't worry, I know about Flame too, so your secret's safe with me. I just figured that you should know that I know." She walked out of the room to join her sister and friend.

Richard stood there a while before declaring, "THIS IS A SERIOUSLY WEIRD DAY!"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Richard repeated this mentally as the twins met the Titans at the mall.

Most of his attention was on Rebecca, but he still was going to keep an eye on her sister. For all he knew, she might "have a gift" too.

"Hey all!" exclaimed Pam cheerfully, "Flame's told me all about you so let me guess: Raven, Vic, Terra, Karen, Alan, Jin, Wally, and Gar." She pointed to each Titan as she stated their name

Richard noticed how she had stressed Alan and Wally's names and inwardly chuckled. The two (clearly irked) gothic females would no doubt set her straight in nothing flat, and he was looking forward to the show. Then Rebecca spoke up, cutting off his chuckle.

"I'm Rebecca, call me anything different and I'll cut out your tongue."

The Titans seemed unfazed by the threat, being so used to Raven and her complete disgust for the nickname "Rae", and welcomed the two girls warmly. If these two were so high in Star's book, they were bound to be great people.

"So," said Gar once the introductions were over, "I'm gonna head over to the arcade. Who wants to come?"

All of the boys, Terra, and Pam immediately agreed to go, Star was going because Richard and Pam were going, and Jin and Bee decided to join because they had nothing better to do. But Rebecca and Raven stayed silent.

"What about you Becca? You and Rae gonna go and watch the masters play?" he smirked at his rhyme.

Purple met Gray in a brief exchange, and with a tiny nod, both girls stepped forward and kicked both of Gar's shins.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

As could be expected, the two went to the bookstore, while the others carried whimpering Gar to the arcade. But he quickly forgot his injury in favor of the games, five of which he tried to play at once and only succeeded in losing several quarters.

In the meantime, Richard was playing the only game he liked: Air Hockey, and was challenging any and every person to a game. However, the Titans, even Starfire, who were very well aware of his abilities, all declined without exception and contented themselves with playing their own games and watching Richard methodically beat every unwise person who dared oppose him.

He smirked as he hit the puck and sent it flying at an unbelievable speed into his opposer-a fat guy with long orange hair and a _Clash of the Planets _shirt's goal, winning the game. He stared at Richard who easily spun the puck basketball style on his finger as he said coolly, "Want a rematch?"

The guy finally found his voice, "I would have won, but the way you play is…stupid!" He pulled down his eyelid and stuck out his tongue, "I don't wanna play with you anymore," he declared, voice cracking before running away, but not fast enough for his sniffles to go unnoticed.

The Titans cracked up as soon as he left. "And I thought _Gar _was a pathetically sore loser!" chuckled Alan.

"Ha ha, yeah you said-HEY!" This caused even more laughter.

Richard shrugged off the guy's reaction in smug nonchalance, "Its OK, I guess I'm just…_invincible_!" But Star made eye contact with Pam and nodded slightly, a strange smile tugging at her mouth.

"Are you so sure about that?" said she, voice and silver eyes filled with challenge and confidence.

Well Richard, cocky and competitive with everyone except for Star, made a prompt reply, "Yes I am. Why?" His eyebrow raised and his voice lowered with equal challenge and confidence, "Do you wanna prove me wrong?"

Starfire began to feel unreasonably jealous. While Competitive Richard was unbelievably infuriatingly cocky, he was also one of Richard's sexier sides. His voice became deep and velvety smooth, while his eyes both teased and called to you, to the point of near drowning in their blue depths. And that elegant and arrogant eyebrow coupled with that leisurely half-smile…it was all Starfire could do not to scream in frustration and want for those eyes to be looking at her, for that low, intimate, sensual voice to speak only to _her_.

Naturally Pam, being a normal girl, just about melted into a puddle at Richard's feet, but she managed to remember that this was Flame's man and therefore composed herself. "Yes I do," she replied stoutly, although her voice trembled a bit. _No wonder Flame's head over heels for this guy. _She thought, _He. Is. FINE!_

A few minutes later, Richard realized that Pam did have a "gift," INHUMANLY FAST REFLEXES AND A SMUG COMPETITIVENESS! Was this what _his_ opponents went through when he taunted them? Those poor souls…he should do it more often. He grinned, but it disappeared when he felt the puck squeeze past his paddle and into his goal. He fought the urge to curse aloud, knowing how much Star hated vulgar language.

Victor took it upon himself to be the official announcer, "And in a particularly fast move, Pam managed to catch Grayson off-guard long enough to score another point and tie the game!" The other Titans began to cheer fakely, "The only question is…WHO'S GONNA WIN THE WHOLE THING?!" More fake cheering ensued.

He was trying every serve, spike, and trick he knew. But apparently, Pam was well aware of these moves and parried them in seemingly effortless grace, although a bead of sweat was forming at her temple. Richard's irritation at being matched at his favorite game was beginning to show, particularly when he whacked the puck clear off the table and on a beeline for Gar. But as stated before, since Gar was used to being a target, he dodged it in a rather Spiderman-like fashion.

While Terra went to retrieve the puck, Pam spoke up, "You're really good at this." she complimented.

"Thanks, so are you," replied Richard, somewhat begrudgingly.

"Of course," she added nonchalantly, "I would expect nothing less of the Boy Wonder." Richard sent a prayer of thanks that he wore his sunglasses when he played Air Hockey, because he was sure that his eyes were bugging out of his head to the point of falling out and rolling across the table. Pam giggled at his shock, "Twin thing."

"SO, AFTER A SMALL INTERRUPTION WE RETURN BACK TO THE GAME!" Good old Vic, always knows just how to snap a mood.

Richard looked at his opponent in a new light. She may _appear _to be harmless, but she was truly a force to be reckoned with. He wouldn't underestimate her again.

But that didn't help the fact that she still beat him.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

After they returned from the mall, everyone had trooped into the Wayne House, much to Alfred's annoyance and somewhat amusement. Richard, Gar, Vic, Wally, and Alan immediately started a five-way game of Mega-Monkeys 5, Terra, Star, Pam, and Bee watched and cheered them on or talked amongst themselves, and Jin, Rachel, and Rebecca…did whatever it is that Goths do.

After several rounds of video games, Richard excused himself and sat on the couch to watch. He didn't notice Starfire sitting next to him until she spoke.

"Yeah Star?"

"Um, Pam and the other girls were wondering if we could have a party of slumber."

He stared at her for a bit in confusion, "Oh, you mean a_ slumber party_, sure, why not?" He saw Star biting her lip and twiddling her fingers and he sighed inwardly. "There's more to it isn't there?"

"Well…they-we wish that the party could possibly be just for the girls here?"

His eyes narrowed a bit as he cocked his eyebrow, "You're telling us guys to get out." He stated flatly.

"Well, I-yes."

He sighed in annoyance, if this girl thought she could get him to do whatever she wanted just by _asking_, she had another think coming. "Star-"

He was cut off, as her eyes seemed to grow big and slightly resemble Puss in Boots' "Big Eyes" impression," Please, I have never had a party of slumber and it sounds like a joyous activity."

Well, technically, she wasn't asking, "S-sure."

Her face lit up, "Thank you Richard!" she leaned forward and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before going to tell the other girls the news.

Richard touched his cheek, suddenly feeling déjà vu. Loud snickering cleared his daze. He looked over to see the male Titans grinning at him. "What?" He snapped, trying to hide the treacherous blush he knew was on his face.

"You've got it _bad_, man."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Over at Gar's house, Vic picked up the ringing phone, "Yellow?" His eyes widened as he listened to what the person said. "Wait, can you say that again?" The person on the other line did so, and his face split into a huge grin. "Sure, I'll get him." He pulled the phone from his ear and bellowed, "GAR! GET YER BUTT DOWN HERE, SOMEONE ON THE PHONE FOR YA!"

He heard the green-haired boy's approaching footsteps and discreetly turned on the speakerphone. Gar took the receiver, "Talk to me," he said cheerfully, not noticing that Vic was trying to quiet the other boys.

A woman with a slight Mexican accent answered, "Yes, is this Garfield Logan?"

"Sure is," he replied, "What can I do for you?"

"Mr. Logan, I'm Maria from 'Erotic Dreams' and am happy to inform you that your order of crotchless panties have arrived."

Gar was suddenly aware that the phone was on speaker and the hush behind him. He turned to see his horrified guy-friends and panicked, "WHAT?!"

"The panties you ordered have come in sir. When do you want me to deliver them?" All of the boys-except Gar, of course-burst into laughter.

"I DIDN'T ORDER ANY PANTIES!" he screamed, now turning red as he tried to turn off the speaker.

"Uh, yes you did sir, and as I recall," her voice became slightly disgusted, "You told me that you ordered them specifically for your girlfriend's website."

"DUDE!" screamed Alan, "THAT'S JUST _WRONG_ MAN! You know Terra would never go for that!"

"I KNOW!" screamed back Gar in protest, "But I'm tellin you," he spoke directly into the phone, "I DON'T WANT NO CROTCHLESS PANTIES!"

"Sir, if you hadn't wanted those panties, why did you ask me to make an order for them?"

"I _didn't _make an order for them! Don't deliver those undies!" Richard couldn't remember laughing so hard in his life.

"_Yes _you-wait. Are there other people there sir?"

"Yeah," confirmed Gar miserably, wondering where this is going.

"Oh, I'm so sorry sir, I just realized that I have the wrong number!" Then her voice lowered, but with the phone on speaker, everyone could still hear it, "I'll have them delivered on Thursday at 3:00. Good night, Mr. Logan."

Garfield stared in shock as the line went dead.

"Undies?" repeated Wally shakily, before falling over in more laughter.

Gar looked heavenward, "Oh dear God in heaven."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

She pressed "End" on her cell phone and looked up, "Clear." The girls exploded with the hysterics they had been holding in.

"Y-you Reb-b-becca" gasped Terra, "Are. Evil! T-teach me. PLEASE!"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Gar's head shot up from his hands and gasped, "Dudes!" he was greeted with glares

"Yes pervert?"

"IM NOT A PERVERT!"

"Gar," said Wally in disgust, "That's the pervert _motto_! Raise your right hand, put your left hand down you pants and repeat that!"

Gar stared at him for a second. "OK, ignoring the total grossness of that statement. Listen, I think I know why I got that call!" They exchanged skeptical looks. "Seriously! I bet the _girls _prank called me!" His friends' skepticism disappeared.

"That _is_ possible," admitted Alan, "those girls _are _evil."

Gar was mad, "OH, they are SO gonna PAY!" He nearly jerked the phone from the wall. "I guess they didn't bet on me having Caller ID! I'll bet it says Wayne House!" he looked at the screen and his brow furrowed.

"Does it?"

"No, it just says 'Out of Area'. OH! They called from a cell phone! Oh they're good, but I'm _better_!"

He swiftly dialed the number and put the phone on speaker. "Hey guys, shh! I'm gonna pretend that I don't know that it's a prank. That way I'll turn the joke on them." He got ready as he heard a phone being picked up.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

"Oh my gosh, he's calling us back!" screamed Jin.

"Whadda we do!" panicked Bee.

"Calm down," assured Pam, "We have it covered." She picked up the phone and deepened her voice. "Good Evening, 'Erotic Dreams' where we make _your_ dreams, come true. This is Lindsey, how may I help you?"

Obviously, Gar didn't expect the girls to have a back up plan, "Uh, yes, I got a call earlier from Maria and she said that I made an order for crotchless undies-" Someone cracked up in the background.

Jin grinned, "Wally" she mouthed, and the girls buried their giggles into their pillows.

"_SHUT UP MAN_! Anyway, I didn't order no panties! _DUDE IF YOU CALL ME A PERVERT ONE MORE TIME_…"

"I'm so sorry sir," apologized "Lindsey," "I'll have this cleared up in no time. What did you say your name was?"

"Logan."

"OK Mr. Logan, I'm so-wait. Logan as in _Garfield Logan_?"

"Yes."

"YOU'RE THE PERVERT WHO KEEPS CALLING ME AND ASKING ME WHAT IM WEARING!! I TOLD YOU: 'IF YOU CALL AGAIN, I'm GETTING A RESTRANING ORDER!!"

The rest of the girls were nearly ripping their pillows apart by now, and Star was getting pretty close.

There was a girlish scream uttered by Gar and screams of "PERVERT!!" by the other guys before the line went dead.

"We need to have you over more often," decided Raven.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

"Place your right hand on the book." Instructed Richard solemnly.

Garfield dutifully did as he was told.

"Now, do you swear on the Bible that will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

"I swear."

"Have you ever called that lingerie store before?"

"No."

"Have you ever called a lingerie store for naughty clothes for Terra?" Vic chuckled, but stopped on seeing Gar's scathing glare.

"No."

"Have you ever cheated on Terra?"

"No."

"Have you ever called another woman and sexually harassed her?"

"Do prank calls count?" Richard popped his head. "OW! NO DUDE!"

"Have you ever had fantasies about Terra in crotchless panties?"

"N-before today? OW!"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Oh man, I loved writin this. REVIEW! Or _I'll _prank call you!**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	10. Mission

**Me: Ugh, I'm sorry guys; my Chapter Story Plot Bunny (yes, I have a Plot Bunny for chapter stories and another for One-shots) abandoned me. AGAIN! They are _so _undependable!**

**CS PB: HEY!! Do you want me to leave again?**

**Me: NO!! I'm overdue for an update as it is! Then after _that_ I went on a trip and stayed at a friend's house for 3 weeks. Friends, by the way, who do not have Internet (tech hating, weirdo Stone-Agers! So again, I'm sorry my faithful minions; just look into this swirly screen I (cough) _borrowed_ and forget _all _about my late update.**

**Mad Mod: (breaks down door. AGAIN) Oy!! That's MY hypno screen you little snot!**

**Me: Uh…hey look at this! (Holds up hypno screen)**

**MM: You stupid Yank! Do you _honestly_ believe that I'd fall for-oooh, swirly lines!! (Eyes begin to resemble the screen and he begins to drool)**

**Me: (grinning) this is gonna be fun.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: (Some time later)**

**Me: YES!! I've _always _wanted an old dude with an English accent to do my bidding! Batman and Slade (Wintergreen is British) have one and now I do too! (squeals and turns to Mod) Now say it just like I commanded you!**

**Mad Mod: (in a robotic voice) The wonderful, talented, and _punctual_ Skyler does not own Teen Titans, the greatest crime fighting group ever! But thanks to her wonderful intelligence, she now owns me, and I am happy to serve her! On a side note, I'm here to say that the US (particularly Texas, they have Schlitterbaun!) is a _great_ place and I completely believe that teenagers are better than old morons like me!!**

**Me and Beast Boy: (high-fives) YEEESSSSS!!**

**BB: Hey, can I borrow him to clean my underwear? Starfire said she'd fry me with a starbolt if I make her do my laundry again.**

**Me: Sure! And while he's doing that you can help me find out how all these superheroes (and one villain) keeps finding me.**

**BB: Sorry Skyler, its one of those great mysteries. Like why the aardvark crossed the road.**

**Random aardvark: (breaks down door and starts beating up the idiot making jokes about it)**

**MM: (Starts laughing) Thank you luv! That green Yank finally got what was coming…(finally notices what's going on) ELLO!? What's going on and why am I covered in spit!?**

**Me: Aw maaaaan! Where's that hypno screen?**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Mission Chp 10**

In an immaculate red-walled room, an 18-year-old male slept.

A bookcase pivoted around on its axis, revealing a highly advanced computer, which flickered to life.

In the Gotham City Bat Cave, The Batman sat in a revolving chair and frowned in confusion as he leaned forward and searched the area that the screen was projecting. Not finding what he was looking for, he placed his hand on a small joystick, causing the webcam that rested on top of the computer in Jump to adjust its vantagepoint. It finally came to a rest when he caught sight of a lump in the middle of the bed.

He sighed and cleared his throat hintingly.

No reaction.

"Richard."

No reaction.

"Richard!"

No reaction.

"_Di-ick._"

A slight stir.

"Stop fooling around, you need to get up."

A groan came from the lump and the blankets were pulled up.

"_Robin_, I have an important mission for you."

A louder groan and the covers being pulled tighter were his answer.

Batman narrowed his eyes, hand beginning to sneak towards the "special circumstances" button, but then remembered what Vic had suggested as an alarm clock alternative. His voice turned deathly serious.

"Starfire's been kidnapped."

Richard was out of the bed and changing into Robin before the blankets even settled on his bed.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO!?" he screamed, "Every moment we waste could be one more moment that Star's getting hurt or…OH MY GOD WE HAVE TO FIND HER!! Bruce do you know who took her? Has there been a ransom note? Bruce? _Bruce_?! HOW CAN YOU BE _LAUGHING_ AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!"

In all the time that he had known him Richard had never heard his adoptive father laugh. The most he heard was a smirk when they caught a villain. But now, Batman had his head against his keyboard and was expressing his mirth as openly as The Joker (without the sadistic twist) while he pounded the desk with his hand.

This was starting to freak Richard out.

Batman raised his head and wiped a tear from under his mask. "I'm going to have to thank Vic someday and install that sentence into your alarm clock. I've _never_ seen you get up so quickly!" Seeing Richard's murderous glare, he decided to change the subject and get into mission mode. _Not that I could really blame him, _he thought, _if someone had pulled that with Rachel, I would've been angry too._ "There is a drug deal between two prominent gangs occurring downtown and you need to stop it. And then you need to go on patrol."

Richard's mouth opened and closed fishlike several times as he debated his options. He could blow off Bruce and go back to sleep (better not, the guy probably had an ejector button on his bed) (A/N: He does), cuss Bruce out for waking him up so rudely (Nah, his butt could do without a battarang in it, thank you), do what Bruce said (pfff, that's a good one), or go downstairs and spend his Monday (it was a three day weekend for a faculty day) hanging out with Star (his original plan and the most appealing option, since Pam and Rebecca had left a few days ago).

"How am I supposed to leave Star here all alone?"

"_You're _the one who had her stay over here, figure something out." With that, the screen dissolved into static.

_Then _Richard cussed him out.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Richard, it is now 10 of the clock and you have normally awoken before this time. Is there something wrong? May I please enter your dwelling?"

Richard smiled at her concern, then took a deep breath and prepared himself. "Come in," he invited in a tired, cantankerous voice.

The door opened and Starfire meekly poked her head in. The look on her face on sight of his appearance told him that he had achieved every kid's dream: the look of a truly ill person.

In an instant, she was next to him, brushing his slightly damp ink colored bangs out of his face, which was now growing steadily redder. "Richard! What has happened? Your body temperature is higher than normal and you are covered in perspiration!" He opened his mouth to reassure her, but she cut him off with a sharp "Shh!" as she picked up his hand and checked his pulse. After a minute she announced his irregular heartbeat in a concerned voice.

He smiled, "I'm OK Star, its just a cold, I'll be fine in a day, two tops."

She nodded and smiled, relief flowed across her face, but it quickly turned determined. "Very well, I shall prepare for you the soup of chicken and a glass of Zorka berry juice." And she was gone.

Richard blinked; he had never thought Starfire could be so…_authoritative_.

A few minutes later, she had returned with a tray containing steaming soup, some crackers, a glass of the purple Zorka berry juice, and a single blue Morning Glory in a vase, no doubt picked from the garden outside. "There now, you shall consume your breakfast, then you must stay in bed and rest; I will attend to you."

Richard looked down at the tray to hide the adoring smile on his face. "Thanks, but you don't have to stay with me Star, I know you had plans. Don't waste your day on me."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness, then fixed a stern expression, which would have looked slightly intimidating if her eyes weren't sparkling so much. "But Richard, I _want_ to take care of you."

Richard's hormone-driven mind produced several prospects at this statement, and he suddenly had the feeling that he wouldn't have to fake a fever. Despite this, he turned his voice stern as well, "Star, I'm not going to have you jump through hoops because of a cold. I'll just sleep for a while and have plenty of fluids and all that while _you_ go out and enjoy the day. I heard that it's going to be a nice one."

Star opened her mouth to protest, but it closed in defeat at the determination in his eyes. She knew that trying to argue with Richard when he had that look was like trying to make a canine release the carcass of a deceased animal.

She sighed and frowned slightly, "I do not know why I would jump through a circular ring, but if you wish for me to 'enjoy the day,' I will do so. However, I will return here at the 7 of clock to check on your condition."

Richard held back a sigh of relief, "Sure Star, I'll see you then."

She nodded, "I hope you will feel better," she turned to leave.

"Star?" she turned back. Richard sat plucked the Morning Glory from its vase and sitting up (which brought them very close), tucked it in her hair, feeling its softness and discreetly getting a whiff of those wonderful green apples. He smiled, his cerulean eyes twinkling, "Be careful."

The slightly dazzled alien left the room with an extra spring in her step.

Richard watched her leave, then took a cautious sip of the Zorka berry juice. His eyes widened in slight surprise, "Hmm, not bad." He raised his glass for another drink when noticed that his fingernails were glowing slightly. "Uhh…on second thought…"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Starfire walked around the city she had come to love, reveling in the warm salty breeze that blew her scarlet hair in every direction, and completely unaware of the attention she was gaining. She was too busy exploring her fairly new home.

She had initially planned to call Raven or Bee or any of her other friends who are girls to do the hanging out, but her plans changed when she stepped outside and the wind assaulted her face. Richard had been right; today was a glorious day. It was just too bad he could not be there to enjoy it.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

In the western side of Jump City, there was little indication of anything nice, unless you called a stolen tricked-out low-rider a thing of beauty.

Next to an old, run-down building that seemed dark and dismal in spite of the bright sun overhead, a streak of black flashed down into the alley.

Robin watched the building he was facing, looking for any point of easy entry. There! Next to the almost completely rusted through fire escape was a broken window. He reached into his belt and pulled out a grappling hook, which he deployed.

Had anyone been walking down the alley at that particular time and happened to look up, they would've seen an odd sight. They would've seen one of the most notorious vigilantes in Jump City hanging upside down by a grappling hook with his cape completely covering his head as he brought out a glass cutter from his pocket and make the broken window wide enough to fit his hand into. But the image only lasted for a few seconds, for in that time he had completed his task and entered the building with only the slightest rustle of cape against metal. Robin's eyes were almost instantly accustomed to the dark, and he stealthily made his way down to the lower levels of the building.

As he opened the stairwell door leading to the ground floor, Robin heard raucous laughter and blaring music. He remained quiet and alert despite the apparent fact that the gangs were too distracted and were making too much noise to notice him. However, it paid off when he spotted two armed guards (one from each gang) near the entrance. The two didn't even realize what was going on until they felt a sharp jab in a strategic point of their necks.

Robin allowed himself a small smirk of gratitude; the sleeper hold was a particularly useful move when one wanted not to be noticed. He took to the multiple florescent light panels hanging from the ceiling and watched the two leaders negotiate. Or argue, rather.

"I ain't gonna do this all day man, I gots things to do. The stuff ain't goin wi'chu unless I get 10 grand, and not a penny less."

"Ten grand for just 30 pounds of crack?! You trippin dog, that junk over there ain't worth five!"

"_Yer_ the one trippin, 5 thousand dollars don't even _begin_ to cover what I went for to get that! And what you callin junk, that's top quality powder over there!"

"I meant 5 _hundred_ fool." The seller's eyes went wide.

"Oh no you di-int."

"I believe he did." If it hadn't been such a tense moment, Robin would've burst into hysterical laughter for the look on the gang members' faces were as startled as though his word had been an atom bomb explosion. "But if you want, I can take that cocaine off your hands for free."

The would-be buyer of the illegal substance got over his shock and glared. "No way Bird Boy!" in a second he pulled out a gun pointed at him. However, in a half-second, Robin had whipped a bird-a-rang at the gang leader, successfully knocking the firearm away.

Unfortunately though, no self respecting gang leader went without a couple armed followers, and there were two sets in the room.

After that, every sense became incredibly heightened, and thought regressed to a direct, primordial state. The outside world ceased to exist, unimportant noises quieted, and time slowed down, like these situations always did for Robin.

Amidst a horde of bullets, he retracted his bo staff and dropped from his perch and began to systematically take out gang members one-by-one. It was a tornado of kicks, punches, and staff swipes, leaving no one standing in his wake. Finally, it was down to a single boy with a knife who looked younger than he was. Robin knocked away the knife effortlessly and stepped forward to put the kid out of commission when he found himself looking down a gun barrel. The boy winked and pulled the trigger just as Robin reached up and twisted his wrist to the breaking point.

_Click._

Both looked down at the gun in surprise. The boy tried to shoot again. And again. Once he made absolutely sure that the gun was in fact empty, he emitted a whimpering groan and dropped the weapon.

Robin smirked, and to his surprise, the boy grinned back. He cocked his eyebrow behind his mask, _Why…_

_Chk-chk._

_Oh, that's why._ Robin knew the sound of a shotgun, a _loaded_ shotgun, being cocked when he heard it. Something cold was pressed to the back of his head and the boy was released, who he moved away, rubbing his wrist and grinning broadly, obviously not wanting to be hit by brain matter, or worse, a stray shell.

Robin closed his eyes. This was it.

Then there was a tapping sound, and the cold barrel fell away. Robin opened his eyes to see that the boy's confident demeanor had melted like ice cream in the Sahara and he took it as a good sign. A swift blow later, the boy was on the ground as well.

Robin could feel someone behind him, obviously the person who had knocked out the guy with the shotgun. He turned to face them.

"Thanks for-_Starfire_?!"

The Tamaranian giggled, looking out of place (but still gorgeous) in the sea of unconscious gang members strewn about the room. "Hello Robin."

This girl sure seemed to pop up at convenient times. But hey, he wasn't complaining.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**FINALLY!! I hope you guys liked this chapter. I enjoyed writing it, even though some parts were kinda hard. However, I will enjoy writing the next chapter even more! (squeal) But first things first. Keep an eye out for a Blue October update, that should be fun (smirks).**

**Anydangways, REVIEW!!**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	11. Patrol

**Yaaay! I've been wantin to do this chappie! Action, fluff, and the words "spontaneous combustion" and "glomping." Is there a better combo? Hey, I don't know if it's just me, but for years I read it wrong and didn't know what it meant. The word "Touché" is pronounced too-shay and it basically means "I surrender." Also, run-flats are a special type of tire that are filled with an adhesive and repair immediately if punctured. And finally, the Miranda Rights are the statements read to arrested criminals (i.e. "You have the right to remain silent…") Now, the moment I _haven't_ been waiting for!**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: (sighs) OK, since I can't own TT or my own British old guy butler, I suppose I'll have to settle for BEAST BOY! HE shall be my lackey!**

**BB: WHAT?! (Suddenly notices the lasso I have in my hand) Ahhh!! (turns into a bull and begins running)**

**Me: (Begins twirling lasso) Hee hee, I love rodeos.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Patrol Chp 11**

"Umm, not to be rude or anything, but WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE?!"

Star's bell-like laughter brightened the room, "I believe I was saving you from a most unpleasant demise."

Robin's mouth twitched in amusement despite himself, "For which I am _very_ grateful. But I meant how did you get here?"

"Oh, I have always wanted to familiarize myself with the layout of the city and I have never explored this section of it before."

Robin winced inwardly; there was a reason for that, this was the roughest part of town. What if he hadn't been there and Star had gotten hurt? He chose not to think of that and to listen to what Starfire was saying.

"…had been walking down the alley next to this building when I heard something and looked up, to find you…hanging upside down for an odd reason."

Robin grimaced as he thought of how ridiculous he must have looked. "Uh, yeah," he explained lamely, "I was cutting the glass so I could get in here."

Starfire considered asking if it was a custom to cut glass upside down, but decided against it, "Well, I was curious as to what you were doing, so I followed you inside and when I reached this floor I realized what that was. I intended to assist you at first, but I soon realized that you had matters under control. I must say, your warrior skills are very impressive."

Robin was grateful for the semi-dark room, it hid the redness on his face, though it did nothing for his pleased grin and flattered ego.

"However," her face darkened as she shot a glare at the man she knocked out, "when that…_clorbag_ threatened you with that weapon, I decided to give you assistance."

Robin was surprised at the amount of anger in Starfire's voice, but didn't show it, "Thanks again for that, I would've been a goner if it wasn't for you."

He flashed his trademark smile, made better with the admiration in it. Starfire ducked her head and blushed, "It was no problem Robin, but I believe we should call the authorities before these criminals wake up and attempt to harm us."

Robin nodded, "Good idea," he agreed, and just to impress her a bit, he whipped his Razor out and opened it grandly. He briefed the sergeant of the situation authoritatively, then snapped his phone shut. "They'll be here soon."

Star nodded, but he noticed her still biting her lip and casting uneasy glances from side to side as she did so. And as her best friend, Richard immediately identified the "something's bothering Star" expression.

"Something wrong?"

She jerked her eyes to meet his masked ones, "No, I am fine!" she then "eeped" as a car backfired outside.

He lifted a masked brow, "Uh-huh."

Starfire looked down, muttering what sounded like why 'both _always_ know what I am feeling' before raising her head, looking embarrassed and a little annoyed, "It is just…very…creepy in here."

Robin abruptly realized the condition of their surroundings. Dark, bad-smelling, and countless unconscious gang members lying on the floor… Yeah, that pretty much fits the creepy description.

"Oh! Yes. Of course, lets go outside." He just hoped that his face would cool down by the time they got there.

But somewhere, the Master of the Universe must have chuckled and said, "Notta chance kid," because once they were out in the sunlight, the Boy Wonder suddenly noticed the Tamaranian Princess' outfit.

She had form fitting baby doll shirt hit about mid waist; its dark red color giving the skin on her exposed torso a golden hue. Black hip huggers who flared out at the bottom revealed thick-heeled boots of the same color. But there was a defining feature to her ensemble, she had on the same armor-like material that she had worn when she and Richard had first met. Her silver neckplate with its green jewel adorned her neck and silver gloves that hit the elbow with no hands and the same green jewel. Her armband and wide silver belt with a circular clasp were also present. Her hair, as usual, was loose and blowing gently in the warm ocean breeze. It had the Morning Glory still in it too.

Robin had only one (miserable) thought, _The Master of the Universe is mean._

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

"Robin? Robin, are you well? Robin?" A dazed look was her answer. "ROBIN!"

_That_ snapped him out of it. And once he realized what he had been doing, he _really_ wished she hadn't.

Starfire titled her head, "Is anything the matter? You seemed rather distant."

"I-uh…" he couldn't seem to get his addled mind out of the gutter and figure out what to say, so he reached for a bird-a-rang to slit his throat with.

Fortunately, the Master had decided that that was enough torment for now, and the sound of police sirens reached their ears.

Distracted, Starfire turned towards the sound while Robin slammed his head into a mental wall.

The Tamaranian turned back, looking concerned, "We should be "making with the haste" now, yes?"

Robin nodded, still too embarrassed to speak, and pushed the call button on his R-Cycle. While they waited, Robin managed to get his thoughts into some semblance of order. "So…" _C'mon Rob, get it together, think! _"do you need to be someplace? I can give you a ride."

She shook her red head, "No, I have no plans; I am in solo-flight today. What about yourself, do you have a place to be?"

Robin shrugged, thankful that they were getting away from the previous 'incident', "Not really, I'm just gonna go on patrol for awhile." For some reason, Star's eyes lit up at his words. Before he could say anything though, his motorcycle pulled up. "C'mon, I'll give you a ride to the mall or something."

Star looked overjoyed at the prospect of riding a motorcycle again, and nervous at the remembrance of the driver's rather reckless tendencies. She was also nervous about the fact that said driver was undeniably cute and kind, and she would sit behind him and put her arms around his rather (okay _very_) chiseled abdomen. And then there's the matter of the cologne he wears…

Robin didn't see her inner conflictions though, just got on the bike and carefully placed his helmet on his head, mindful not to flatten his carefully spiked hairdo. After biting her lip one last time, she placed herself on the leather seat behind the Boy Wonder.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

A block away from the outlet mall, the R-Cycle screeched to a halt. Starfire got off, happy, but undeniably shaken.

Robin, also getting off, half-sat half-leaned against the vehicle, took off his helmet, and flashed a winning smirk, "You'd think that someone who could fly wouldn't be so nervous on a motorcycle."

Starfire proceeded to stick her tongue out in an oddly adorable way at the hero as she attempted to smooth down the hair that had been blown wildly around during the ride. "You would assume that someone so dedicated to other's safety would be a little more cautious with his land vehicle, especially when he had a passenger, who, I might inform you, has saved your life…twice." she retorted saucily, her apple green eyes snapping.

Robin stared at her for a second, then let out a short bark of surprised laughter. He never would've guessed in a million years that someone as innocent and sweet as _Starfire_ could be _sassy_. And look so aggravatingly gorgeous while she did it.

Boy, the Master of the Universe sure enjoyed putting him in hormone hell.

"Touché," he conceded, a little stunned. Star giggled triumphantly, the saucy expression still dancing across her features. Then a thought struck Robin, "Did I ever thank you for saving me the first time?"

Star's face morphed into the familiar "thinking" face as she lightly bit her lip and studied the ground, brow furrowed in thought.

Despite himself, Robin let a soft smile grace his lips. Next to the "understand" nod, the "thinking" face was his most favorite of Star's expressions. Not that he didn't like that sassy one.

"I do not believe that you did," she finally concluded, mirroring Robin's lounged form on the R-Cycle.

"Well…thank you."

Starfire smiled, "Do not mention it Robin, you would have done the same for me. "And," her eyes lit in remembrance, "you almost did."

Robin chuckled, "Yeah…that sure came crashing down." He paused as he replayed his sentence mentally. "Uh, no pun intended."

"Pun." repeated Star, "Richard informed me of that word's meaning, but how-" she cut herself off as she murmured under her breath, trying to identify the pun. Robin watched her, silently cheering her on.

Then her face lit up with glee, causing Robin to grin in amused delight. "I see now, the pun is that you said your plans came crashing own, and the roof in the burning building we had been trapped in had also crashed to the floor!" She then giggled at the (rather bad, come to think of it) pun, and Robin couldn't help but join in.

He felt an odd sort of pride, he kinda understood now what made Gar so happy when he got Terra to laugh at his jokes. He was glad that what he had taught Star was staying in her mind and that it was _actually _helping her in everyday life.

…Well, talking to a masked vigilante was apart of _her_ everyday life.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

As their laughter died down, Starfire suddenly noticed how close she and Robin's faces has gotten. She almost pulled back, but his covered eyes caught hers and seemed to draw her in. Some unknown force pulled her to him, and she could feel his warm breath against her lips. She mentally thanked X'hal that she had consumed all of those wonderful tasting Altoids before she had gone out today and closed her eyes.

"ROBIN!!"

The two jerked back as if they had spontaneously combusted (which _was_ kinda how their faces felt) and turned to the source of the interruption.

Which happened to be Batman, who was looking a little less than elated. "What. Are you doing?" was the stern question.

Robin wondered briefly how he was going to get out of this one, "Um, I was just-"

But Batman cut him off, "Just _sitting_ _around_ when you should be on patrol!"

The Boy Wonder stared at the Dark Night in confusion. Hadn't he seen Star?

Then it hit him. The little communication screen was mounted on a bike in a way that currently made it impossible to see Starfire, she was just sitting too far back. _Thank you MOTU_ _(Master of the Universe)._

Robin sighed unnoticeably in relief. "Aww, c'mon Bats," he drawled lazily, "I just took down an _army_ of gang members! Don't ya think I deserve a little breather?"

Batman glared at the nickname, then sighed, "I do commend you on the bust Robin, but evil doesn't take a 'breather.' "

Robin groaned, "Fine."

"That's my boy, Batman o-wait." Robin tensed, _Oh no he saw her._ "Why is your face so red?"

After another undetected sigh, Robin had the answer, "Don't tell me that you can dodge bullets in this heat without getting a little flushed," was the indignant reply, "I know that suit doesn't exactly breathe well."

Batman's mouth moved in what might have been a wry smile, "Fair enough. Batman out." And the little screen turned black. Both teens stared at it for a while, then burst into relieved laughter. However, Robin's good mood fell quickly.

"Well, you heard the man," he sighed, "I gotta go." Star nodded, but didn't move. "So…bye." She stayed in place, but with her "thinking" expression on.

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you…think it is possible if…maybe…"

Robin cocked an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"If…I could…"

"Spit it out Star…Fire." She frowned, "It means, tell me what you want to say."

She took a deep breath, WouldyoumindifIaccompaniedyouonthepatrol?"

His eyebrows rushed together, "What?"

The alien rubbed her arm nervously, "Would you mind if I accompanied you on the patrol?"

Robin was pretty sure that his mask was about to tear from stretching so widely. "Say what?!"

Lip biting and foot shuffling was added to the arm rubbing, "I-I apologize Robin, I was very out of formation for suggesting such a thing. I will journey to the mall of outlet shopping instead." Robin swore he saw little thunderclouds hovering over her head as she got off the bike and started to leave.

"Hold on, hold on," he called. "You just…caught me by surprise. _Why_ exactly do you want to go on patrol with me?"

Now she was twiddling her fingers, "Well," her speech grew rapid with nervousness, "I had not really wanted to go to the mall of shopping today. Richard and I had simply planned on 'hanging out and doing nothing', although I am quite sure that the hanging out qualifies as an activity…" Robin chortled inwardly, _She's so cute._

"…is ill, I decided to explore the city, as I already stated. However, when I assisted you with those bad men, I realized that it be better for me to continue to assist you; I would have an opportunity to see the city, as I had wished, I would also be able to use my abilities; I haven't utilized them in quite a while and I have missed flying dearly. It would also save you a good deal of energy, and if you, _X'hal_ forbid, end up in a situation like the one you had previously, I would be able to maintain your safety-" she stopped when Robin held up a hand.

His masked eyes were narrowed as he stated flatly, "You just want to come so you can protect me."

Star's eyes grew wide with panic, "No, I want to come for the reasons I explained…" But that treacherous masked eyebrow forced her to tell the truth, "However, that reason _had_ come across my mind…"

Robin rolled his eyes, then closed them and shook his head, not quite comprehending what he was hearing. _She _wanted to protect _him_. This totally broke the rules of the damsel/hero relationship.

Starfire watched helplessly as she watched Robin shake his head and stride to his two-wheeled land vehicle. _I have insulted him,_ she thought. He swung his long leg over the seat and the R-Cycle came to life with a roar that made her cringe. She bowed her head in shame. _He will likely never speak to me again._

"Are you coming?" Starfire's head snapped up fast enough to get whiplash. She found her hero waiting expectantly with his arms crossed and that _X'hal_-darned eyebrow raised.

Her heart burst with hope, "T-truly?" she stuttered.

"Welll…" Robin uncrossed his arms and tilted his head in a half-shrug, "We'll have to get you a mask or something-ooph!" A red and black rocket glomping him off the bike and to the ground cut him off. He wouldn't have been able to speak anyway, since she was _crushing his lungs_!

"I thank you Robin," she breathed happily. Unfortunately, that warm breath was falling onto his ear in addition to the ever-present green apples smell wafting to his nose and effectively driving the air problems into significance and him crazy.

_Why do you do this? _he mentally pleaded to the MOTU,_ Is it "Torture Robin Day?" Did you have _any_ idea what this is _doing _to me?_

He must've gotten through to the MOTU, because Star finally let go of him. To find that the expression on Robin's face looked dangerously…_dopey_. However, he was the one to snap him out of it this time.

"Um…you're welcome."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Robin was ready to admit defeat, which believe me, doesn't happen often. But he had to face facts: masks just don't look well on Star, at least, not the ones he had unless she was wearing his uniform.

Starfire looked as frustrated as he did (yet another seldom occurring event), although it only served to make her look attractive as she ranted about with her eyes neon green and blazing.

"_X'hal_!" she stormed, "Who was aware that keeping your identity secret could be so stressful?!"

Robin found this statement rather amusing. This was coming from the girl who has to hide the fact that she was an _alien_. "I got it!" he exclaimed suddenly, "Why don't we try sunglasses?"

Starfire's anger magically disappeared, "That is a glorious idea Robin! I have just the shaded spectacles!" She reached into her small, backpack-like purse and produced a small navy case, and from it a pair of "shaded spectacles". They were rimless and oval shaped; the lenses dark and tinted red. Robin's eyes widened when he saw them, _he _had given her those glasses.

**FLASHBACK **

"What's wrong Star?"

She pulled her hand away from her eyes and immediately began squinting against the glaring light, "Oh, it is nothing Richard, the sun is merely very bright today."

"Oh," Richard grimaced in sympathy, he hadn't noticed with his sunglasses effectively blocking the glistening rays. However they soon resumed their conversation as they walked around Jump City Park.

A few days later, the two exited the Manor for school, where the sun promptly assaulted Star's green orbs. She glared at the yellow ball with unusual venom and raised her hand to shield her face. She then noticed something held out to her in her peripheral vision.

"These might help with the sun problem."

Star took the smooth leather container and studied it curiously until she found an opening on one side. She pulled the contents out, then switched her confused gaze from the glasses to Richard. "Try them on," he encouraged.

Upon doing so, she discovered that the sun was no longer bothering her eyes. She gasped in surprise, "They make everything so dark!" she exclaimed gleefully.

Richard chuckled, _God I love her_. "Yeah, it'll do that."

Starfire busily swiveled her head in all directions, "I see why you wear these shaded spectacles so often Richard, it makes out-of-door activity much more enjoyable. But, why do you wear them in-the-doors? Does the artificial light bother you also?"

Richard started, no one had ever really asked him _why _he wore his sunglasses all the time, they had just kind of accepted it as apart of who Richard Grayson is. He paused, searching for an answer, "No, I just always wear them," he excused.

But Starfire tilted her head, "Hm, on Tamaran, the eyes are considered to be the windows to one's soul, and it is a sign of mistrust to hide them from others, particularly your friends."

Richard mouth opened, "I trust you!" he protested.

Starfire nodded, "That is true Richard, you have told me about yourself and I you, but I do not cover my windows from you while in-the-doors. So why do you?"

He stared at her in wonder. She seemed to bring things about himself to his attention that _he_ didn't notice. And she can get away with using like, 5 "yous" in two sentences. _I guess me and Robin aren't really as different as I thought; we _both _hide themselves from the world._ "I…don't know."

Star's nodded in a resolved way, "Then if you cannot produce a logical reason for your action, you should not continue doing that action. You should not hide your eyes from your friends, especially eyes like yours."

Richard raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

She flushed as she realized her slip, "Well…the fact is…your eyes are very…nice. They really should not be covered." Starfire was suddenly grateful for the glasses; she didn't particularly want Richard to see what was going on in her soul at the moment. "So," she changed the subject, "will you continue to hide Richard?"

He opened his mouth again, then closed it. He slowly reached up and pulled off his shades…to be blinded by the light. He squinted and blinked rapidly, trying to expel the white lights dancing across his vision. "Uh…do you mind if I hide when the sun is this bright?"

She giggled softly then sighed in mock-annoyance, "Very well."

He slipped them back on and grinned, "C'mon, were gonna be late." Unfortunately though, he was still partially blinded, and didn't notice the rock. Star's giggles turned to unsuccessfully squelched gales of laughter as he sprawled comically on the driveway.

He glared mentally at the MOTU, _You just couldn't resist…could you?_

**END FLASHBACK**

Robin abruptly realized that since that day, he hadn't worn those glasses in a long time. He also noticed that Starfire was fastening the rubber band on the end of her long red braid (save the signature bangs of course), which she had plaited remarkably fast.

"There!" she said triumphantly, "I believe I am ready to go on the patrol!"

She looked up, and Robin sucked in his breath. With the outfit and the glasses and the braid, she had this whole "mysterious sexy girl who could still kick your butt" look going on. Which Robin had previously believed she wasn't even _capable_ of.

"What do you think Robin, do I look, O-K to you?"

Robin stared at her like she had just asked him if he was a boy. "Are you kidding? You look gorgeous!" he blurted, then realized what he said. Was it possible for a face to undergo spontaneous combustion? Cause it certainly felt that way.

Starfire blushed and grinned, "I thank you, now, let us go on the patrol before The Batman calls again."

Robin was only too happy to agree.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Starfire had decided to fly instead of ride today, much to her unbridled joy and Robin's overwhelming depression. As infuriating as those apples are, they do still smell nice.

Now, first up on the Robin and Starfire patrol? What else but a street mugger?

Which Starfire took care of pretty well. She had proceeded to fly into one man, not to glomp, but to slam him into the wall with a fraction of her strength, knocking him out.

Next was an ATM holdup.

Robin took out one of the guys with a quick one-two. On seeing this, the other man tried to escape, but stopped when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Um, excuse me, I did not wish to do this while you were not looking." She punched at him, but he ducked and grabbed her wrist, pulling a knife in the process. Robin moved to help her, but she gripped the own wrist holding hers and flung the man like a javelin, and he spun head over heels a few times before crashing into some traffic cones. Robin made a mental note to ask her how she did that move later.

The most exciting part of the day was an armored car robbery.

These guys actually managed to get the loot to the car before our heroes arrived. They were also the most competent, because they knew Robin had a habit of slashing tires with bird-a-rangs. So, they had run-flats on the nice little Jag they had lifted earlier.

Unfortunately, that nice little Jag met up with a not as nice as she seems Starfire, who alighted in front of the car and held out her hands. After sliding back a little bit (the car _was_ going over 100 after all), she placed the Jag-whose fender looked like it hit a tree, and whose passengers were badly hurt, due to lack of seat belt usage-gently back onto the ground.

As the men were loaded up into ambulances, Starfire even decided to give them advice, "I do hope that you do not decide to do bad things again, but if you do, please wear safety restraints, so you will not become injured again!"

The men, unable to speak through the oxygen masks and the Miranda Rights read to them, simply glared at her.

Other than that, the day was pretty slow for the duo, which Robin wasn't complaining about a bit. The lack of crime gave him opportunity to learn about the Starfire Richard never saw, the alien princess part. Tamaranian culture was pretty cool, however unrefined.

But time does fly when yer havin fun, and it was 7:15 before either of them knew it. After a hurried goodbye, it was a race to the Manor.

And Starfire won.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Starfire's entreaty was met with silence. Biting her lip, she tentatively opened the bedroom door, and stuck her head inside…to find an empty bedroom. The door opened further as she established that Richard was not in his room; the only thing left was the breakfast tray, the soup and crackers gone, but the Zorka berry juice looked untouched. "Richard?"

"Yes?"

"Eep!" she whirled around to see Richard, looking bleary eyed in his blue bathrobe, plain white shirt, and black pajama bottoms, a glass of water in hand.

He looked confused, "I thought you weren't going to be back till seven."

Starfire nodded, "That is correct."

"But its only…" he looked at the clock, "Seven-thirty! I slept that long?!" he put his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes. "Ugh, I _hate_ being sick!"

Starfire titled her head, "Are you still feeling ill?"

Richard did a physical survey, "Not really, my throat's just a little sore. Other than that, I'm perfect. So how was your day? Did you have fun?"

A blazing smile swept across her face and her eyes sparkled, "Yes, my day was most enjoyable! I had 'a blast.' And I am overjoyed to hear that your ailment no longer plagues you! Please, do you require anything?"

He smiled, "Well, I was gonna watch a movie when you came in. Care to join me?"

Her smile grew wider, "I would love to!"

Richard offered his arm grandly, which looked odd since he was in a bathrobe, and the two went down the steps to the movie room (yeah it has a big screen and a popcorn maker and a soda thingie and everything).

"But Richard, I am curious, why did you consume the food I gave you, but did not drink the Zorka berry juice?"

"Umm…"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**FINALLY!! This thing is so long!!** **It took for freaking EVER to write!! But I am DONE!! HUTTAH!! But I really liked writin it. I kinda feel sorry for what I'm doin to Robin though. How many times can a guy blush in one day?**

**Now, make me even happier and REVIEW!!**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**

**PS: Hey Soccergurl, ya happy now?**


	12. Party Plans And Prima Donnas

**SAT: OK, first off, I am _deeply_ sorry for puttin this off for Blue October, believe me I tried. But I'm updating now, and that's what's important, right? **

**(crickets chirp) **

**SAT: You-all suck. (But please still R&R)**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: Beast Boy! Say the disclaimer! And get me more cookies!**

**BB: (in butler uniform and British hairdo) No way dudette!**

**Me: (waves remote) Ah, ah, aaaahhhh…remember what's around yer neck!**

**BB: (Sighs and reads from card) Um…Skyler doesn't own Teen Titans, but she's getting there, one Titan at a **

**time. (Grits his teeth and hands me a plate) here's your cookies, _Madame Teloiv_**

**Me: Good boy (takes cookie)**

**BB: (grumbling) I _hate_ this shock collar! Why did she have to be friends with Soto and that stupid green dog?! **

**Me: (finger on button) What was that?**

**BB: (sweatdrops) Nothing!**

**Party Plans And Prima Donnas Chp 12**

Richard entered the school in a rush with Star right beside him as they escaped the sudden onslaught of precipitation outside. He shook his head like a dog to clear it of the moisture while Star rung her own locks out.

Raking his hand through his hair a couple times, he looked up, to be assaulted by something quite different. Countless streamers and flyers and posters and people were advertising the upcoming Fall Ball.

He groaned softly as he approached his locker, shoes squeaking nosily. School dances were one of the things he really detested. The dressing up, the contests, the constant talk and pressure to get a date filling the air. But the biggest reason to hate this event was spelled out in one name: Kitten. He dialed his combination and pulled his locker open roughly. When these events came up, the blonde brat won't freaking _leave him alone_! Richard started pulling his books out with more violence. _The girl can't quite seem to comprehend that I can't stand her, much less want to go to a stupid dance with her._ He slammed the locker shut savagely, as if to punctuate his thoughts.

"So, you and the locker got into some sort of…argument?" He turned to see his wonderful angel of dry humor, currently attired in a rather skater fashion. Her slate-colored boy jeans were ripped at the ankles above her black converse with the logo covered over in magic marker and she had a beige long sleeved shirt with a black Tee that said "I see stupid people" in red creepy lettering.

"Good morning Raven! Is it not a glorious day?" Raven raised an eyebrow at Starfire's greeting and looked out at the sky, whose color was closely related to her pants. It was cold too, with rain that would come in short, hard bursts, but never truly seemed to stop, much like the constant growls of thunder. Loud, howling wind was a constant feature as well, making the rain seem to come in sideways.

It was Raven's kind of weather. The type that made you want to curl up in a nice soft blanket and read a nice long horror novel, with a nice big cup of steaming herbal tea, in front of a nice roaring fire. Truly, it was the _only_ time that she ever considered referring to her activities as "nice."

"Yeah, I guess so, I just hope that it lets up by Saturday."

Richard heartily agreed, for the one bright thing to all this crud was happening on that day, and he really didn't want it to be canceled. The _Anti_-Fall Ball. Predictably, it took place at the same day and time (Saturday at 7:30) as the regular Fall Ball, but the difference was that there was no dressing up, no pressing need to get a date, and _no_ Kitten.

Plus, it was _way_ more fun to go to and it was always held at Raven's house, which happened to be located on the beach and outside city limits, where they could legally have a bonfire, firecrackers, and loud music without getting in trouble. Alcohol too, not that he ever drank it.

"So, mind sharing the reason for brutalizing your locker?"

Richard tensed slightly and turned to Starfire, who had been busy watching the raindrops fall, softly giggling at the occasional rumble of thunder. She loved thunderstorms now, and so long as it wasn't too loud and close, she found the powerful echoing sound rather soothing and enjoyable. It reminded her of what had occurred in a previous thunderstorm, and its most pleasant outcome.

Richard let a fond light enter his eyes for a moment, then said "Hey Star, could you go save me a seat in homeroom? I need to go talk to someone."

She studied him for a moment, then nodded and headed in the direction of Mr. Mod's class.

He rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath, trying to put together his thoughts in some comprehensible fashion so he could talk to his friend about it. Basically, he wasn't excited about the A-FB itself to tell the truth, it was more like who was going. Starfire for example. Once Richard had told her about the event, she had been doing nothing but plan for the "social activity that opposes another, less enjoyable social activity." Maybe, at said social activity, he could finally grow a backbone and tell Star how he felt, and therein lay the whole dilemma.

"Let me guess, you've decided at last to answer all of our prayers and ask Starfire out to my party, where you plan to finally tell her how you feel. However, a certain obstacle has been distracting you from your plans, and she goes by the name of Kitten Moth."

His mouth, which had been open and poised to talk, closed with a pop. His eyebrow raised; "Did you read my mind?" he accused suspiciously.

The corner of her lips tilted upward, "I didn't have to, your face said it all."

He nodded in acquiescence, "Alright then, what should I do?"

"Your love life is none of my business Richard, but as your friend, you should go through with your plans; if not for your sake, then for mine. Everyone has been placing bets on when you two would finally hook up, and now it's the only thing they talk about when you or Starfire aren't around."

Richard stared at her as his face reddened. He had been noticing that his friends would be talking eagerly, then clam up when he approached. Now he knew why; they didn't want him to know that they were trying to make money off his barely there relationship.

"As for the Kitten problem," Raven continued, "do what we both know that you've been dying to and settle _that _bet."

Richard was staring at her again with a red face, though anger was the reason for this sudden coloration. "Do they place bets on _everything_ dealing with me and Star?!"

"They have a pool going on about weather she will convince you to do something humiliating simply by asking and doing that 'Big Eyes' thing. Another deals with what that humiliating thing will be."

For the third time, he was staring at her with his embarrassment emblazoned across his cheeks, "Are you by any chance apart of this bet?"

"I say she will, and it will have something to do with cooking, with you ending up in an apron… Do you know that you blush way more than a boy is supposed to?"

"…I'll see you in homeroom. Thanks for the advice Raven."

"Anytime."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

"Richie-poo!!" the annoying, high pitched voice called, causing Richard to gasp sharply, and therefore choke on the tater tot he had been eating. He coughed and pounded his chest, trying to clear his windpipe of the tot in vain.

Starfire, who had been busy glowering at the scantily clad brat in pink, turned to him in concern. "Richard what is-" she cut herself off as she diagnosed the problem. "Keep coughing," she instructed frantically, "it might expel the tot of tater."

"Its called a _tater tot_ you dunce," sneered Kitten loftily. "Why can't you just speak English like a normal person? You are so-"

"Kitten?" interrupted Terra

"What?"

"Richie-poo is choking," the blonde deadpanned.

She suddenly noticed Richard's blue face, "Like, oh my God!" she screeched, "Richie-poo, are you choking?!"

Despite the obstruction in his throat, Richard still rolled his eyes. _Maybe I should just _let_ myself die…Kitten wont be much of a problem then_.

However, Richard was never one to take the easy way out (not that dying is easy), and was about to perform the heimlech maneuver on himself when a hand slammed on his back like a sledgehammer.

The small potato product shot out of his mouth like a bullet towards Wally, who dodged with his renowned reflexes, and the small fried (and rather soggy) piece of food ended up hitting Michael Donn, otherwise known as Mammoth on the weightlifting team, in the back of his head.

Mammoth pulled the tot guts out of his long orange hair and turned around, "Who threw that?" he demanded in his foghorn voice. The Titans exchanged glances, then pointed to the person who was currently walking down the aisle.

Which happened to be George Wymann, also known as Gizmo on the computer club, and Mammoth's homework lackey.

"What?!" he yelled, his voice squeakier than usual, "I didn't do that you scuzz-munching liars!"

Mammoth didn't believe him, which he made apparent by standing to his full height of 7 feet and chasing after the small poindexter, but not before popping the half eaten tot into his mouth, eliciting a collective "EWWW!" from the table.

Meanwhile, Richard was taking deep breaths into his deflated lungs, while Starfire and Kitten hovered over him worriedly. Well, Star was hovering; Kitten was busy trying to sit in Richard's lap, much to his disgust. "Richard, are you OK?" asked Star.

Inhaling one final time, he nodded, a small smile on his lips, "I'm fine, thanks to you." Blushing lightly, she returned the expression.

"Oh thank God Richie-poo! You had me _so_ worried!" Simultaneously, the pair's smiles dropped, and Richard saw Starfire's eyes begin to glow lightly as she gritted her teeth. Kitten was truly the one person Starfire detested, and she had good reason, considering how they first met…

**FLASHBACK (A/N: This is right after Star gave Red some Tofu Surprise)**

They regretfully untangled their hands amidst the other Titan's laughter and became very interested in their lunches.

"Hey Richie-poo!" Richard lifted his head, a look of horror on his face. _No_…

He turned to see Kitten standing behind him in all her slutty pink glory. She flipped her platinum blonde hair back and batted her blue eyes to look alluring, but it really only made her look like her contacts were inside out.

"Richard? Who is this girl? And why does she call you 'Poo'?"

Richard, who had been violently wishing for the earth to open up and swallow Kitten, sweat dropped and pulled at his collar, "Um, Star, this is-"

"Kitten Moth," she finished haughtily, "and _you_ are that new girl who just slammed a plate of white crap (insert Gar's outraged protest) into the face of one of the hottest boys in school! Although, he's not as hot as _you_ Richie-poo!" She sent an adoring look at "Richie-poo," who had his hands over his face in utmost humiliation and nausea.

Star's face showed the beginnings of a scowl. This girl reminded her a little too much of a certain lady at Burger King. "Kitten," she said, "I might inform you that-"

"You're in my seat? Thanks for noticing, you saved my breath."

The redhead drew back, caught off guard and lost her fury, only to have it return with a vengeance. Richard sat with this-this _gremplork_?!

Richard's mouth fell open in shock, "Kitten, you know that that's-"

"Do not worry Richard," Starfire cut in, her voice strained with desperate control, "I will vacate Kitten's seat." She stood up and pulled the chair out for Kitten, who looked overwhelmingly smug.

"Why thank you Kelly," she smirked and started to sit down. Richard vaguely noticed something fall from Star's hand. "Oh wait, you wanted to be called- _SQUELCH_!

For four rare seconds, all was silent in the right central tables of the cafeteria. Then Kitten shot to her feet and peeled the remains of Wally's sloppy Joe from her pink short shorts. An earsplitting scream resounded and she ran from the room, wild laughter on her heels.

Richard was stunned at the self-satisfied smile on the Tamaranian's otherwise ethereal face. He had never thought Starfire was capable of being so…awesomely evil. He was shaken from his trance, literally, by a heartbroken/angered Wally and Gar.

"What did my Sloppy Joe do to deserve such a fate?" howled Wally, who cradled his sandwich in his arms like a baby, much to Jin's mortification.

"Yeah dude!" imputed the green haired vegan, "Keep your girlfriend's hands off our food! It doesn't _deserve_ to be treated like that!"

Starfire dropped her smile like a flaming marshmallow, and Richard's face started to feel like one.

Fortunately, Victor saved them from having a total embarrassment meltdown, "No," he denied, "I say that white goo got what was comin to it."

This, as expected, prompted another war between the carnivore and the vegetarian, and Starfire and Richard sighed in relief.

**END FLASHBACK**

Richard rolled his eyes again and pushed Kitten away almost imperceptibly, "Thanks Kitten, I appreciate the concern," he drawled.

Starfire remained silent, but the cracking and snapping green eyes she possessed said all.

The blonde's heavily made up face brightened, "Oh, I'm just happy I got that thing out before you choked!" she giggled as Richard put his head in his hands.

Star found her voice, "Kitten, I believe you are mistaken, " she contradicted, struggling to keep her voice acid-free, "I was the one who dislodged the _tater tot_ from Richard's esophagus."

Kitten sneered, all traces of giggle gone, "As if Freak, I bet you can't even _spell_ esophogud!" Alan snorted, but quickly covered it up. "So just get your bad dye job do out of my face, and let me sit next to my _boyfriend_!!"

Richard whipped his head up, now angry. This was the last straw. "Kitten!" he boomed, "For the last freaking time, I. Am not. Your boyfriend!" He kept glancing at Starfire as he said—or shouted this, as if to reassure her of his Kitten-less status.

A look of relief and triumph, mixed with surprise at Richard's outburst crossed Starfire's face while Kitten's eyes bugged out as she opened and closed her mouth, gasping like a landed fish.

"B-but Richie-poo!" she trilled, voice squeakier than ever, "I thought I was your little Kitty-cat! What about all of our times together?

Richard snorted, uncaring of how rude it was, "What times?! Get a firm grip on what I like to call _reality _Kitten, I don't _like_ you that way! As a matter of fact, I don't like you at _all_!"

The Titans snickered, and even Raven had a small smile on her face. It was about time Richard force-fed Kitten the truth. Goodness knows she had it coming.

But Kitten didn't let go of things easily, "Then who is going to take me to the Fall Ball, I'd like to know?"

"He could not take you to the Ball of Falling even if he wanted to Kitten, which, I can assure you, he does not." Richard jumped a little at Star's hardened tone.

Kitten remained unfazed, "Oh really, and why's that?"

"Because I'm already going to the Anti-Fall Ball, and I'm taking Star." _Wait_, thought Richard, _was that_ my_ voice?_

Apparently it was, because Kitten, Starfire and everyone within hearing range of Richard's voice had their jaw fall unceremoniously to the ground.

"Oh Richie-poo no!" cried Kitten, "Tell me it isn't true!"

Richard vaguely noticed that his friends were eating popcorn as they watched him. "Uh yeah. Sorry, but its true."

Kitten whirled on Starfire, "You're forcing him to go aren't you? Tell me what you did to make poor Richy-poo suffer like this!"

Starfire looked at Richard, question in her eyes, and Richard sent a pleading look her way. She smiled just enough for him to see and turned back to the envious prima donna, "I did nothing to Richard," she said calmly, face the picture of innocence, "He asked me to attend the party with him, I agreed, so now we are attending the function together." She reached out and took his hand as if to finalize her decree; Richard had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing at Kitten's expression.

A shocked broken piece of a word escaped her throat, and she turned on her heel and exited the cafeteria in a flash. A loud relieved sigh escaped the both of them. Richard lifted his hand to wipe his brow, or started to, but realized. small tan fingers already occupied it. He looked into the eyes of the owner of the fingers and smiled, squeezing the fingers lightly. Her eyes sparkled as she returned the gesture.

"Will you get together already and end the suspense?" big surprise, that was Raven's voice.

The two dropped their hands and colored visibly. _I'm getting serious déjà vu here._

After lunch, a triumphant Alan was collecting money from the other Titans.

"Told ya a boyfriend comment would push him over the edge."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Robin looked at the high garden wall before him. The grappling hooks in his belt were begging to be let out and used, but he decided to do this certain operation old school. A deep breath, then he jumped, feet finding tiny cracks and imperfections, each bringing him higher as he moved, never stopping until he reached the top. Once there, he dropped down like a cat, his cape emitting the slightest ruffling sound.

Stealthily, he moved amongst the hedges and beautifully manicured garden, skillfully avoiding the motion detectors, taking care to never be seen by the security cameras. Before long, the tall building loomed before him, silhouetted in the nonexistent moonlight. His eyes scanned the higher levels of the target area before coming to rest on one section.

Unlike the rest of the windows, this one had a faint light showing through the heavy paneled curtains.

He scaled the white stone sides like a salamander and smirked. Who says he was totally dependent on his gadgets? The True Master would be proud.

Or, now that he thought about it, would more likely say: _"You may have done this the right way, young warrior, but why do you not do it in _all _situations? And why are you still clinging to that ridiculous outfit? Shoes only hinder your climbing; hasn't the monkey taught you that much?"_

He grinned at his rather accurate mental scenario of the wise old woman and shook his head, completely unmindful that he was precariously balanced on the two-and-a-half inches of space protruding from the window three stories in the air.

Clearing his head of his musings, he finally utilized his forlorn bird-a-rang to slip between the cracks of the door-like windows and easily remove the latch. They swung outward and he slipped inward, pulling the heavy purple drapes aside.

"You called?"

Starfire looked out the open window at Robin and smiled, putting down the communication device he had given her, "Yes I did. It has been much time since we conversed last, has it not?."

"21 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes and…" he glanced at her desk clock, "36 seconds, but who's counting?"

She giggled, "I believe you are."

Robin couldn't find any effective comeback for that, so he changed the subject, "So, any particular reason for calling, or did you just miss me?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, but her steadily coloring cheeks ruined the effect, "I could not sleep, for I am excited to attend a party two nights from now, and I am 'bored out of my skull'?" He nodded in affirmation, amused and slightly disturbed at how quickly she was at picking up expressions from Gar.

"So," she continued, "would it not be too much trouble for me to join you on the nightly patrol?"

Robin noticed that she was indeed in patrol attire: hunter green shirt with baby doll sleeves and a cherry cluster embroidered on its small pocket, dark gray cargo pants, the ever-present sunglasses, and black steel-toed hiking boots. She had pulled her hair into a messy bun, the signature bangs loose.

He smiled to himself; patrolling with Star would be a lot more fun, "Alright, but on one condition: lose the sunglasses."

Starfire tilted her head in concern, "But how will I be able to keep my identity hidden?"

"It's night, and there's a new moon, I don't think people are going to see your face very well."

"Then perhaps you could discard your mask as well?" Robin raised his eyebrow and she shrugged in defeat. "It was worth an attempt," she sighed.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Robin looked down; the city lights on the buildings, and the buildings themselves, were rushing past him at a highly thrilling and mildly terrifying pace.

Starfire had once again gone off on a spontaneous tangent, and wheedled him (and by wheedled, meaning batted her eyes in that adorable pleading way) into letting her provide transportation for this patrol. And that meant flying. She would also scan for any disturbance, since Tamaranians, eagle-like, are capable of seeing everything clearly from high speeds and distances. Which was how they were traveling right now.

It wasn't that he was scared, after all, he jumped off buildings, scaled cliffs (and houses), and drove a motorcycle at breakneck speed without a second thought. In reality, he was in more danger doing those three things than when he's flying with Star, with her hands securely holding his arms. It was just that when he was doing all of the former actions, he felt…stable, in control. Now, he was neither of those things, if he was to fall, however unlikely the odds, it was doubtful that his grappling wire would be able to hold at the rate that he was going, which was really fast.

He could imagine it in vivid detail, the cord snapping, him falling, hitting the center ring with a sickening _crunch_…Wait. _Center ring_?

And then it all came back to him, the bright candy cane tent, the gunshot, snapping wires, the light in his eyes, blinding him to all but the silhouettes of John and Mary Grayson falling past the area where the safety net should have been…

_Stop it. _The words were clear and firm in his head._ Do you trust Starfire or not?_

_With my life, which she is currently holding in her hands. Oh God Mom, Dad, I couldn't get there-_

_I said _stop_; this is neither the time nor the place. You need to calm down, focus._

_On what?_

_Well, think about the awesome part of flying. You are totally and completely _free_ right now, unhindered, untethered, and you _should_ be unburdened. _

He glanced up at Star, who was still scanning the city, her green eyes reflecting every light they passed. _Not to mention that this is all possible by the prettiest girl on this side of the galaxy. _

_Who you love more than air._

_No I don't!_

_Oh, so you're suffocating by choice?_

He gulped down some much-needed oxygen and tried to think of something to say, but realized he was beaten. If his hands were free, he would've buried his face in them. _How is it that I am regularly losing arguments with myself?_

_Maybe its 'cause I'm smarter than you._

…

…_You're right, it is weird._ _Hey, is Star taking us down?_

She was. And Robin looked at the roof he was standing on, gaining a newfound appreciation for the earth.

"Robin?"

He looked up from the ground, "Hmm?"

"Is something the matter?"

"Why do you ask?"

Star tilted her head her gaze confused, as if she was studying something unknown, "I am not sure, but you seem…troubled."

Robin considered her words, "Yeah," he said thoughtfully, "I guess I am. But its nothing for you to worry about," he added hastily as her face showed the beginnings of concern. "So why'd you bring us down anyway?"

Star swallowed her emotions with an effort and pointed to a building adjacent to them, "I believe that looks suspicious, no?"

Robin looked where her finger was pointing and saw about 4 figures with flashlights and had black ski masks on, save one who had an orange piece of cloth showing through the right eye hole, no doubt a patch. With another of the group, he was studying a laptop with several images, which Robin could only imagine were from the security cameras, one was stuffing various paintings and knickknacks into a bag, and the last was huddled by a large safe in the left corner.

"Let's get closer," he ordered, instantly in mission mode. Star nodded and once again elevated into the air with Robin in tow.

The men had been too busy with cracking the safe or checking the feeds to notice a boy and a girl floating by the window. They were even further distracted when one of the men announced his victory over the safe and opened it to plunder its contents. From what Robin could see, the safe contained King's ransom worth of emeralds, with one weighing at least 30 carats being the crown jewel (pun intended). He squeezed Star's hand and jerked his head upward. She nodded.

As Robin expected, they went to the roof to escape, and he and Star were waiting for them. This was something that the criminals did not expect, simply because one of them with a long brown ponytail hanging from his mask felt that it was his duty to say so in a rather girlish voice.

Robin had already assigned all four of them names to keep track, as Batman had trained him. They were Patch, Paunch, Ponytail, and Paco, respectively. But maybe Ponytail should be changed to Potty Mouth, seeing as how he was using a slew of four letter words in every possible part of speech known to man and some known to waffles. **(A/N: (giggles) that sentence never gets old)**

This was almost amusing to Robin, that is until Potty Mouth aimed some of his insults Starfire's way, much to her horror and Robin's fury. _No one_ insults Starfire like that.

So naturally, Potty Mouth was the first to go, via a disc containing elastic constricting agent over his mouth. An outraged scream came muffled and Paunch snorted with laughter. Patch, however, was in no mood for jokes. "_Move _you idiots!" he growled. Without waiting for them to answer, he headed for the nearest escape route, to come face-to-face—er—mask with Starfire.

Paunch rushed toward Robin with a crowbar in hand, who moved at the last second and used Paunch's momentum to knock him down. He approached Paco and Potty Mouth (who was still trying to swear with a mouth full of goo) in a way that seemed state his amount of concern he had for the duo's threat potential. Meaning very little.

Paco wasn't terribly thrilled about any of this; a once brilliant heist going bad thanks to a kid who was strolling towards them like he hadn't a care in the world. Despite the fact that it was very dark out, he could still see the smirk on the blasted kid's face; he knew he was going to win. However, Paco wasn't stupid either, which was why he begrudgingly held up his hands in surrender. Robin's smirk grew, and he threw another disc containing the constricting agent at him, effectively gluing his feet to the floor.

Potty Mouth, on the other hand, had no intention of going that quietly. While Robin had been busy with Paco, he had quelled his insults and made his way to the original escape route, five crossbows knocked with arrows attached to heavy cord. Turning, he set the telescopic lens to night vision, and got a very clear view of the Boy Wonder's back, with so many vital areas to be placed between the crosshairs. After much debating, he decided on the solar plexus, may as well let the kid suffer a bit for gluing his mouth shut. A chuckle resonated in his sealed mouth as he fired. Was it just him, or did the titanium tip catch some light as it flew?

However, something grasped the arrow shaft in mid-flight about a foot from its target. Something that looked oddly like a hand. Raising his head slowly, Potty Mouth realized that it _was_ light gleaming on the arrow that he saw, light that protruded from the neon orbs of Robin's royally pissed girlfriend. Was that smoke coming from her eyes?

Paco and Robin made simultaneous "Ooooooh"s of empathic pain as they witnessed Starfire's knee making total contact with his stomach. Yes, Paco had made a very wise decision.

Tying the moaning Potty Mouth with the still-unconscious Paunch and relieved looking Paco, Robin suddenly became aware that there was a missing person in the set. "Flame?" he asked over his shoulder.

At the sound of her hero alias, Starfire broke off her concentration of the clear night sky. "Hmm?"

"What happened to Patch?"

Even with limited visibility, Robin could clearly see Star's confusion in his mind, "Who?"

"The man with the orange eye patch."

He heard a nervous wince escape the Tamaranian, and the image of her biting her lip and looking contrite came to mind, "He…was quite…skilled in fighting, and I was unable to…apprehend him. I am, sorry."

Robin closed his eyed tightly and inhaled. He opened his mouth to speak, but Paco interrupted him, "Ah, don't be too hard on the girl, _no one_ could've caught-er, _Patch_. The guy is practically inhuman."

He whirled back to face the uninjured and now unmasked robber, "Have any idea who he is or where he's going?" he inquired sharply.

Paco shook his head and shrugged half-heartedly, "Nah, this was supposed to be a one-time partnership, you know. Never got to see his face and never found out why he wanted to do this job in the first place."

Robin cocked his head, "It was a safe full of huge valuable emeralds, seems like the motive was pretty obvious."

But Paco shook his head, "No kid, they may have _looked_ like gems, but trust me, they weren't. From what little Patch told us when he hired us, those rocks were some sort of batteries or something. Least that's what it sounded like."

"Then why were you working for him?"

"Cash. Cold and hard. It's the only reason I've stayed in the business as long as I have."

He was suddenly suspicious, "Why are you just telling me this?"

"I figured that if I cooperated, I'd get a shorter stretch. I've been to the Big House before kid, and I don't intend on stayin there any longer than I have to. I'm too old for all this crap anyway."

Robin searched his expression for deceit, but Paco's unshaven face simply looked tired, even more so when he yawned, bending his head and half-covering his mouth with his shoulder politely. Sympathy flickered through him, and he placed a hand on Paco's shoulder companionably.

"Thanks."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

"Out-out-out-out-out," commanded Jen as she pushed Richard with each "out."

"C'mon Jen, why can't I wait for Sta-"

"NO! _You_ are going to go and help Raven set up the A-FB while _I _turn your girlfriend into something irresistible to anything male, I just hope you'll have your pervert bat handy."

"Wait, you're going to do wha-?!" But Jen had already shut and locked the door in his face. She turned around and rubbed her hands in a highly unsettling way, an evil look in her eye.

"Now, lets make Richie-poo squirm."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**OK, this was originally going to be an uber long chappie, containing both what you just read and the A-FB, but once I reached page 20 and was STILL not done, I decided to break it here. I'm almost done with the next chappie though, and I'll get it up when I finish writing. **

**Now, I have interesting little thing that is Titan related. In the comics, Batman would **_**spank**_** Robin. I kid you not, The Dark Night would seriously put the Boy Wonder over his knee and spank him, sometimes when Robin was in that old timey dorky uniform (ya know, the one where his pants were really more of a speedo style. Blegh!!). I was SO disturbed when I saw the pictures… whose links are on RobinRocks profile, if you want to see it. (I do NOT recommend those with weak stomachs to check it out)**

**I have another of those interesting things, but it will be posted in the next chappie, so I'll se you then!**

**And I think we all know what comes next…**

**REVIEW!!**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	13. THE ANTIFALL BALL!

**OK, here's the OTHER half of my originally combined chappie, and I think you'll like it, hee hee hee.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me (sitting in an easy chair with my feet up): Ahh, I may not own TT or General Mills, but this is the life huh BB?**

**Beast Boy (playing the role as footstool): Suuure, its always been my dream to be a piece of furniture!**

**Raven: (phases through wall)**

**BB: RAVEN! You've come to save me!!**

**Raven: No, I'm just here for the service, and Skyler is paying me 50 bucks to rent out my little pamperers. Over here guys.**

**Sha-laians: Guys…SHA-LAH!**

**Me (While getting a manicure): Now, be a dear and get us some tea.**

**BB: WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THE WORLD!?**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**THE ANTI-FALL BALL! Chp 13**

Richard got into his black SUV Lexus and 18 minutes later arrived at the Anti-Fall Ball, about an hour before it started, like he always did.

Raven, who looked unusually frantic as she bustled about fixing last minute preparations, caught sight of him and strode over like a hungry panther that had just caught sight of a gazelle. Before he could even put his keys into his pocket, she had grabbed his wrist and fairly drug him to the kitchen, where Terra, Bee, Gar (who was looking very comical in an apron) Ms. Argent, and Arella, Raven's mother, were putting the final touches on the refreshments that were to be served.

"Ladies and Gar," announced Raven, "A tall person is here." Ragged cheers came up and Richard found himself getting plastic cups and cutlery, paper plates, bowls, napkins, and various other necessities that happened to be located on the higher shelves of the cabinets.

He was laughing as he worked, however, teasing and talking, and taking especial pleasure when Gar sprinkled powdered sugar on Terra's head, which brought on a miniature food fight, which ended with Arella spritzing them with the dish sprayer. Eventually, all of the food was put on every last flat surface, drinks were crowded onto a table with cups and a cooler of ice beside it, and a few huge black trashcans were placed in plain sight for future utilization. Then came the outside tasks.

Wally, Alan, Vic, and Barry Allen, Wally's look-a-like uncle, had done pretty well arranging chairs and picnic tables, setting up volleyball nets, driving down Tiki torches, and gathering wood for the bonfire, but there was still work to be done, namely putting up streamers and setting up the DJ's booth and sound system. Early birds arrived while they worked, like brawny Gnarrk Baker and petite Kole Strong, partners on the ice skating team and pretty good friends with Vic.

When the oddly proportioned duo saw Richard and Alan on ladders desperately trying to keep a Fall Ball sign—with "Anti-" written in red ink of course—from crashing to the floor, they turned to each other, smirked, and Gnarrk lifted Kole easily by her waist to tape the sign up. Soon, kids from JCHS who had been invited, and many more who were neither, started coming in throngs as the music, provided by Vic, powered up, making the original preparation clamor seem like a courtroom assembly.

Richard went about the party with a coke in his hand, laughing, greeting, moving in time with the music's beat, but he always kept an eye out for the scarlet hair he knew so well.

He finally spotted some familiar follicles, but these were pink. He raced towards the owner, who wore a purple long sleeved shirt with a picture of a heart screaming in pain as it got impaled with an arrow and stone wash jeans. "Where's Starfire?" he breathlessly asked Jennifer.

Her forehead wrinkled in confusion, "You haven't seen her yet?"

"Would I be asking you where she is if I had?"

She rolled her eyes, which were devoid of their contacts and were now her natural faded blue, "Fair enough, but I haven't seen her since we got here."

Frustrated fingers buried themselves in his hair, but came to a halt at Jen's next sentence, "But don't worry, just follow the cat calls and you'll find her."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Let's just say that her outfit has a lot of my own input. I must say, she wears the dark look verywell, and I do mean _very_. I just hope you don't die when you turn around, otherwise I'll have to put 10 bucks into both of Terra and Gar's wallets."

Richard was on the verge of telling Jen _exactly_ where she could put her money when he relayed the first part of her sentence mentally and turned around.

Starfire Anders was wearing a shirt that Richard loved immediately: a black shirt made of thick and stretchy material that enveloped her smooth, slender figure in an oh-so-tempting way. Dense netting colored crimson-black were the sleeves, split almost in half and edged thinly with black thread, ending in a square cut neckline that set off her shining black choker and the smallest bit of cleavage. A dragon, as equally dark and red as her sleeves flew just above her navel.

Her pants seemed to be made for the shirt in contrast, thick and baggy, however with the same dragon curled up on her pocket, with a heavy spiked belt that looked suspiciously like the only thing to be holding the jeans to her hips. Beneath the heavy cuffs, her suede slippers were small fires that glowed when the blackened ashes surrounding them were stirred up, but otherwise remained hidden.

Wet hair, only a shade lighter, had two barrettes, each as thick as a finger, holding back her bangs, the dampened strands falling jagged and rebellious along her back and shoulders and slightly wetting her shirt. Her nails glittered like blood rubies, and a wide spiked bracelet, much like her belt, encircled her slim wrist. The glitter sprinkled on her eyelids constantly caught the firelight and setting sun, making her eyes sparkle more than ever while darkening them to a rich emerald hue. Cherry red lipstick caused her small white teeth to gleam as they lightly bit her lower lip in a way that would send any male's heart into spasms.

_God bless Jennifer McAllen._

Meanwhile, Jen laughed maniacally at a job well done. Not only had she struck a major blow for the "Get Rich and Star Together" battle, but had also made Richard's heart basically flat line, which was what _she_ had bet he would do. _Let the drooling begin, now where's Terra and Gar? They owe me 20 bucks. _

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

If all the adjectives that could've begun to accurately describe the way she looked were listed, the world would run out of paper.

There was nothing Richard wanted more than to take Starfire into his arms and kiss her, and never, ever let go. But that might have come off as needy, so he settled for walking up to her and pecking her on the cheek, sneaking a sniff of green apples. "You look wonderful," he whispered, which was about the stupidest understatement that had ever said. Ever. But it still made Starfire blush and silently thank Jen for making her wear this outfit.

Embarrassed at his boldness, Richard looked down and suddenly noticed that he was clutching something cool and square. It was a wrist corsage made of tiny red tea roses on a thin black band. He suddenly remembered Jennifer shoving something as his hand while he had stared at Star. Part of him rolled his eyes at Jen for pulling something so corny, but another part praised her; after all, Star loved things like this.

He was right. She just about had kittens on the spot, if you'll excuse the expression. "Oh Richard, it's wonderful! But what is its purpose?"

He was prepared to give a no doubt boring explanation, albeit laced with affection, but suddenly the Romeo in him decided to step up for once. "It's supposed to make you look more beautiful than you already are, though I don't see how that's possible," he answered smoothly, consciously deepening his voice as he did so.

In the galaxy, there were thousands of people with red hair, and all were afflicted with the curse of prominent, beacon-like blushes that stain from roots to chin. But when Starfire Anders heard Richard's compliment, they all bowed their red heads in defeat.

Richard felt pride well up in him as he looked at Star's pleased, however maroon, face and slipped the corsage onto her hand. He made a mental note to say things like that more often.

"Dick?" he went rigid at the annoying nickname said by a familiar feminine voice, "Dick Grayson, is that you?!" He came face to face with a startlingly beautiful girl, about 18 or 19, with concrete gray eyes and blinding white hair. Beside her stood a boy about the same age, with grass green eyes and curly blonde hair that came to an unusual style of sideburns down his face. He raised his hand and moved it to his forehead, then brought it down and moved his finger up and down above his head to signify spikes. Richard, who knew sign language, translated his hand movements to, "Hello Dick."

"Dick's" mouth fell open, "Rose? Joey? What're you doing here?!"

Rose smiled, "We were in town, and we knew today was the Anti-Fall Ball, so we decided to come and surprise you. Looks like it worked huh Joe?" Joey smirked and nodded, then he noticed someone behind Richard and whistled softly.

Rose followed his gaze and her gray eyes widened on sight of Starfire, "Hi!" she fairly squealed, "Are you a friend of Dick's?"

Starfire stepped forward, looking confused, "No, I don't know any Dick, but I am friends with Richard."

The two simultaneously looked at Richard, who had a small grin on his face, "She's not from around here," he explained.

Joey signed something, and Starfire bit her lip in confusion, unaware of the effect it had on the mute. Or Richard. "I apologize, I do not understand what you are saying."

"He wanted to know your name," translated Richard, gruffly enough to have Rose looking at him sideways.

Star understand nodded, "Oh, my name is Kori Anders, but my friends call me Starfire. Your name is Joey and you are friends of Richard's, correct?" He nodded. "Well it is glorious to meet you then!"

Joe gawked at her and started signing something that had Richard softly scream in horror and Rose loudly scream in laughter when he finished. Starfire meanwhile looked blissfully unaware of what Joey had just said to her.

But she apparently wanted to know. And Rose looked more than happy to tell her, "He said that-oomph!" she was cut off by a hand clapping over her mouth, which she promptly licked.

Richard jerked his hand away and waved it in disgust, "Eww! Rose, that's disgusting!"

She glared at him, "You know I don't like people touching my face. And what's your deal anyway? I figured that you'd _want_ Starfire to-"

"How about we catch up later?" Richard suggested stiffly, "Until then, enjoy the party; let's go Star." He promptly grabbed her hand (with his own non-spit-covered one) and fairly dragged her away.

Joey watched them go then signed, "Was it just me, or did Dick look constipated just then?"

Rose's laughter echoed along the beach.

**A/N: Translation of what Joey said, "He was right…you are really sweet. Although…that outfit sure says otherwise. Tell me, are you wearing that to get him to love you? Because believe me, that would work, even if that ship hadn't long since sailed. Or are you just trying to get him to admit he loves you? If you are, I'm 20 bucks richer." **

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Star giggled slightly at Richard's haggard expression, "What _did_ Joey communicate to you Richard?" she queried playfully.

"Nothing important, just…stuff. Do you wanna dance?"

Starfire did a double take at his last words, and so did he. He hadn't meant to ask that, it had been more of a reflex really, and when he heard the music start playing the opening notes to "Here It Goes Again," it had seemed like the most logical thing to ask. But, she probably doesn't like to dance, much less with-

"That would be glorious Richard," she said quietly.

He blessed the dark for hiding his shocked gape, and took her hand, his body once again on autopilot.

They danced to song after song, resting by the fire when they got tired, eating or drinking when they got hungry and conversing when doing all three. Guys regularly approached and attempted to chat Star up, but the ones that weren't deterred by Richard's death glares were politely rejected by Starfire, or told off on no uncertain terms by Richard. And before they knew it, it was 11:50 and almost time for the fireworks.

They excused themselves and walked out to the beach, sitting down in rare silence, broken only by the waves and faint sounds of the music from the anti ball.

"So are you having fun?"

Starfire turned to Richard, who was lying on his stomach, idly making pictures in the sand. She smiled, eyes glimmering with lazy excitement, "Yes I am," she answered quickly, wanting to sinking back into their comfortable quiet, despite the something that was nagging at her. "Richard?" she asked, cursing herself.

"Hmm?"

"What are fireworks?"

Richard jerked his head to her in astonishment. He had never really expected anyone _not_ knowing what fireworks were; it was like asking why the sky was blue…although, Star _had_ told him that the sky on Tamaran was pink…but he digressed.

Looking at his digital watch, he said, "You'll have your answer right…about…now."

On cue, a bright green rocket shot into the sky and exploded. Starfire gasped a little and scooted closer to Richard, eyes never leaving the sky. She watched, mesmerized, as the lights ascended and exploded, and Richard watched her, committing all of her reactions to memory.

She drew in a breath that was full of amazement and rested her head on Richard's shoulder, "Beautiful," she whispered.

"Yeah," agreed Richard, not caring in the slightest that if she chose that moment to look up, she'd realize that he was talking about her.

But as the MOTU would have it, she didn't look up, not even when Richard inched his hand onto her own. But she did raise her fingers to intertwine them, and settle more comfortably into the hollow of Richard's neck.

Richard felt like he could've stayed like this forever, even if it was set in a pretty cheesy scene. _Oh well, at least we're not on the top of a Ferris Wheel or something._

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

As the last Roman candle shot into the sky, the couple slowly, regretfully got up and dusted the sand off, fully ready to head back to the party. But then Richard's ears heard the opening notes to "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls, and he placed a hand on Star's shoulder, "Stay."

**_And I'd give up forever to touch you  
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow  
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be  
And I don't want to go home right now_**

She halted immediately and turned into him, knowing what he wanted, and he knew it was what she wanted too. He pulled her gently to him, hands on her waist, and her arms draped over his shoulders, her eyes hypnotically holding his gaze.

**_And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breathe is your life  
'Cause sooner or later it's over  
I just don't want to miss you tonight_**

Richard fell into box step, which she mimicked flawlessly, and they slowly danced, their footfalls making little impressions on the sand.

**_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_**

Her hands drifted down his shoulders until they reached his chest and he tightened his grip a little bit. Her head fell to the crook of his neck and rested there, and Richard hoped she didn't notice his heart pounding furiously under her hand.

**_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming  
Or the moment of truth in your lies  
When everything feels like the movies  
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive_**

He suddenly was listening to the lyrics, and realized how ironic this song was. It was about not wanting to keep the woman you love from knowing who you are, and here he was, dancing with the very girl who he wanted to tell his secret to more than anyone he had ever met in his life.

**_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_**

_And it was really stupid too_, he thought as he tightened his hold on her even more, _because she already knows Robin, and she likes him pretty well. And I also know _her_ biggest secret. In comparison, finding out the identity of Robin is pretty mundane compared to discovering and alien princess with a sister who has a V for Vendetta on her head._

**_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_**

He did, he _desperately_ wanted her to know him, _all_ of him. What, really, was holding him back?

**_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_**

_Nothing. Absolutely, _nothing_ is keeping me, except my own stupid fears._

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

_**I just want you to know who I am**_

_I have to tell her._

_**I just want you to know who I aaammmm…**_

_Tonight._

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

"Say it," demanded Bee, her hand on her hips as she tapped her foot.

Vic groaned, "C'mon Bee…"

"Say it Sparky."

He sighed, " 'Iris' is Richard and Starfire's song."

"And?"

"And…I owe you a foot massage and 5 bucks."

"Good boy."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

"Good night Richard, pleasant schlorvak's."

"See you in the morning."

The Anti-Fall Ball was over, they were back at Wayne Manor, he was in bed, and you guessed it, Richard still hadn't told her.

But, in his defense, he had made his resolution at about midnight, so technically "tonight" would be later on right?

Robin didn't even have to speak up to say how stupid that excuse was. Richard already knew.

He face-palmed himself, _I can jump off a 40 story building without breaking a sweat, but I can't tell a pretty girl that I like her and that I'm a hero._

More face-palming ensued.

He was so caught up, in fact, with berating himself, that he almost hadn't noticed the stealthy footsteps stealing their way by his door.

He got up, forehead showing a red mark from his self-abuse, and exited his room, following the shadowy figure ahead of him, his adrenaline pumping faster with every moment. By the time they reached the staircase, he was forcibly keeping himself from jumping the intruder and expending all of his pent-up emotions.

But then the person did something that threw him for a loop. _It looked like he- _

_No way, no one would._

_But it looks an awful lot like they're- _

_Don't be ridiculous. _

_It looks very much like it. _

_C'mon, no sane intruder would actually _slide down the banister

But then the person let go of the rail and started their decent, laughing a little on the way.

_Guess I spoke too soon… But why in the world would they do that?!_

However, he got his answer when the person reached the bottom half of the banister, shooting into the view of the skylight where the waxing moon shone through the skylight.

_Idiot, I shoulda known it was Star._

The Tamaranian slid past the end of the rail and flew, letting her momentum carry her and giggling as quietly as she could. She flew up the flight of stairs and positioned herself once more at the top of the railing, before sliding down again. She did this a few times and was about to get onto the banister before Richard decided to make his presence known.

"Starfire?"

"Eep!" she almost fell, but quickly righted herself. "R-Richard, hello! What-what are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Oh, I am merely…sliding?"

Richard couldn't bear it anymore. His bark of laughter startled the girl, but soon, she began to giggle, and soon the two were doubled over in hysterics that they tried to keep as muted as possible.

When he regained most of his composure, Richard had an idea, "Mind if I join you in…sliding?"

Starfire started giggling again at the way he bobbed his eyebrows when he said sliding, but managed to nod.

Without missing a beat, he hopped onto the expensive cherry wood, feeling wonderfully mischievous and wicked at the thought of what Bruce would do if he found out what indignities his railings underwent at night.

Which made the slide all the more exhilarating. When he reached the bottom though, the cold marble floor smashed unsympathetically into his side, and he realized as he skidded painfully across the waxed floors that since "Richard" didn't know about Star, she would have to let herself fall off the railing and undergo the same pain he just did.

Unless…

"OK, go, I'll catch you," he called softly. And he didn't think that he imagined the look of relief that passed on her face at his words.

Now that he could observe her in more light, Richard realized that, judging by the way she kept her balance and didn't use her arms as she slid, that she had done this a lot. _And I never knew_, he thought before she impacted into his chest.

He felt himself falling and tightened the tenuous grip he had on the girl in his arms, making sure he took the brunt of the fall. His head cracked against the floor, and he was pretty sure that his arms were pretty rubbed up from the skid, but he—and more importantly Star—were OK.

"Richard!" she gasped as he grunted in pain, "Are you unharmed?"

"Define unharmed," he groaned, his eyes tightly shut, as if to block the signals his nerve endings were screaming at him. Taking a final breath, he opened his eyes…

And instantly wished he hadn't.

Until now, Richard had never taken time to appreciate the skylight at night; the way the moon and stars shone through, and catching on the crystal chandelier below them, he had never noticed it.

That is, until they had Starfire in the foreground.

He realized the position they were in, with his arms still wrapped tightly around her back, her torso flush against his bare chest (he cursed his habit of sleeping without a shirt) while her elbows rested on either side of his head, and her legs almost…well… straddling him. And that evil skylight letting in the illumination from the moon and starts. Illumination, that was currently shining down on Starfire, making her hair take on a deeper red sheen, and shadow her eyes to evergreen. And then she spoke, unthinkingly brushing her hand through his hair.

"Th-thank you Richard."

He had always loved the way she said his name. And her slender fingers tangling themselves in his thick black hair drove him wild.

"Star," his voice was heavy with restrained emotion, "I need to tell you something."

She nodded, unintentionally making her hair brush across his exposed skin, "I have something to tell you also." Was her voice shaking a little?

He met her darkened green eyes with his own azure ones, "Well, you first."

She smiled in appreciation, and then she lowered her head and kissed him softly.

It took exactly 10 and one-half seconds for Richard to comprehend what had happened. Unfortunately, that was too long for Starfire's taste.

"I am…sorry," she choked, trying to get away. But now, the 10 and ½ seconds were up, and Richard now had absolutely no intention of letting her leave. One of his hands left her back and closed around her chin, forcing her to look at him. Her eyes had tears in them, and he let his eyes fill with compassion and love he felt as his thumb caressed her face.

To say that Starfire was surprised was the understatement of quite a few millenniums, "Richard…"

"Don't _ever_ be sorry for that," he whispered firmly, then kissed each tear-filled eye with a tender slowness that made Star want to break down again.

Her lips tasted like salt at first. But then she moved her mouth against his, and it slowly faded away, and the hand on her chin moved to the base of her neck, and his other arm slowly loosened and rubbed lightly down her back, enabling her to escape, if she wanted to.

But it didn't look like she wanted to. Not one little bit.

Richard's eyes nearly rolled back into his head in elation. The girl he loved was here, with him, right now, and she apparently liked him enough to be kissing him.

And Lord could she kiss…

The hand that had accidentally ran through his hair now raked through it deliberately, accompanied soon by its twin, and she locked the black stands in her fists, pulling him closer, pressing her lips harder. The hand on her neck strengthened and matched her grip, the arm that had rested lightly on her back tightened again, and the chaste gentleness of the kiss disappeared and was forgotten. They had waited and wanted for this moment with more patience and self control than anyone—including themselves—thought they had, and there was no way in hell that they were going to separate before they made sure the other knew this.

Her fingers combed through his hair again and again, never tiring of its crisp thickness while he explored every contour of her face, with his mouth. But she soon tired of that, and used the power she had in her hands to guide him back to her mouth. Her hands reluctantly left his hair, but she had the urge to seek out more. She ran her fingers along his torso and stopped. Literally, she stopped and sat up, looking down at his chiseled body. Little orange hands memorized his chest, and Richard gained an enormous appreciation for these newfound benefits of working out. And to prove it, he flipped them over.

Star didn't seem to mind though, in fact, she giggled and pulled him down, kissing him again. He licked her lips, causing her to gasp, and slipped his tongue in, releasing a whole new wave of emotions through the Tamaranian. She moaned into his mouth, which thrilled him to no end, and soon they were locked in a fierce battle for dominance, although neither really cared who won.

Richard knew that they were already going too far, and he knew that if they kept it up, they would do something they would regret. So he started lightening the kiss, soothed both of their wild emotions, until they once again had the sweetness they had started with.

He broke his mouth from hers, and she whimpered in disappointment, which he remedied with a swift peck. "OK, um, OK," he panted, trying to get some thoughts together and scatter others. "We-we have to go back to sleep before something happens Starfire," he said, and Starfire nodded, not really because she saw his logic, but because she felt that she would do anything for him as long as he spoke her name like that.

"But we're going to talk in the morning OK?"

She nodded again, her eyes still hazy.

"_OK_?"

"Yes Richard," she agreed and took a deep breath. Then the severity of the situation dawned on her, and she realized what could've—and likely would've—happened had it not been for Richard. She bowed her head in shame. "I apologize for my actions," she murmured humbly.

"Hey," Richard took her face in his hands, "I said it before and I'll say it again. Don't you _ever _feel sorry for that. _That_ was the single greatest experience of my life."

Starfire looked disbelieving, but a small smile shone in her eyes. Richard smiled back and tenderly kissed her swollen lips, his eyes shining with love and adoration. She could almost feel the tears welling up again, but she hugged him, and suddenly the days events caught up with her, and she sagged against his chest, drained from all the emotions she had discovered and experienced in an all-too-short amount of time.

Richard smiled again, and he swept her up into his arms and started back up the stairs, despite her protests. But she knew he wouldn't listen, and she was too tired to really push her opinion, so she let herself be carried, although she flew a little bit, which wasn't hard, since she had nothing but happiness in her heart, besides exhaustion of course.

So he took her back to her room and put her into her circular bed and tucked her in, and she was too tired to tell him that he was putting her in the wrong way, letting her head rest on the pillow instead of her feet. But she forgot all about it when he gave her a kiss that held nothing but pure, chaste affection in it.

He backed to the door, as if she would disappear if he turned around, and shut the door until it was a crack, whispering through it, "Good night Star, sweet dreams," and even more softly, so she didn't hear it, "I love you."

Once he was a safe distance from the door, he collapsed onto his knees, although his arms were raised in exultation. After all those worries and doubts and troubles, he was finally happy, and it felt good.

He was going to polish that banister every day, and get on a ladder to Windex each and every square inch of those skylights and the chandelier.

As for the moon and stars…his help would not be necessary.

They were already perfect.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Richard was, suddenly, awake. He bounced joyfully out of bed, a huge smile on his face and he whistled as he put on clothes. At first, he had was mystified at why he was so happy this early (even morning people have to draw the line somewhere) but then his memory came back. And his legs nearly gave out from under him.

_Star…_ he could still feel her lips on his, could still taste her, and he sat on his bed, too dazed to stand. Last night had been so perfect, it was almost like a dream… Wait. _Was_ it a dream?

He wasn't feeling so happy anymore, and paced around the room, trying to figure out weather what had happened had been real, or had been an unusually wonderful figment of his imagination. Finally he decided to eat some breakfast, no use debating on an empty stomach right? Does anyone else think that's something Garfield would say?

And on that note, Richard was feeling a little childish, made evident when he took out a box of Lucky Charms and Alpha-Bits from the cupboard. When he turned to get the milk, however, his arm jostled the bowl and some of the letters and marshmallows fell out.

He went to pick them up, but his hand froze midway, for the accused breakfast cereal had arranged itself in this order: An "R", a heart, and a shooting star.

He stared at the innocent little pieces of food for who knows how long and then slowly, first his eyes, and then his head, looked above him. And he proceeded to glare at the no doubt cracking up MOTU.

_Are you trying to tell me something?_

Breakfast was out of the question after that, not when he had little letters to play with. Once again, he wondered just how Gar got into his head. He wrote some of the obvious things, like "Hi," and "Bye," and "Richard," even, "I feel like an idiot" once, but it soon progressed into "RG SA" and various forms of that sentence.

And then Starfire walked in.

He managed to erase his words, but he got the feeling that his face would betray him, so he studied the counter top. "M-morning Star."

He didn't notice she had approached until her hand had taken hold of his chin. And kissed him soundly. "Good morning Richard," she giggled, sitting in a tool and pouring herself some cocoa puffs. But before she could get a banana to cut up into it, she was dragged, stool and all, to Richard, whose lips proceeded to suck all thoughts of breakfast, and thoughts in general, out of her head.

_It wasn't a dream._

Richard was positive his face looked dazed and dopey, but he couldn't care less. He and Star had indeed admitted their feelings (though not verbally) and kissed last night, which sort of made them a couple and now, he realized, they could kiss whenever they wanted…a perk which he fully planned to take advantage of.

Somewhere around their third or fifth kiss, Star pulled away, her face as dopey looking as Richard's, although in a much more adorable way. "I-I should go put on my daily attire," she mumbled.

"Yeah," Richard agreed, pulling her closer, "you probably should."

She let herself be kissed a few more times, but then she pulled back again, this time getting off the stool entirely. "It will not take long Richard," she assured, "I will return shortly, and we can finish the 'discussion' we initiated last night." She took care to flutter her eyelashes slightly as she said this, and nearly ruined the effect by laughing at the fawning look that came over Richard's face.

Richard stared at something for a long time, until his vision focused and he realized it was the phone. A deliciously evil idea came to mind.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Garfield answered on the second ring, "What up?" he said cheerfully.

"What're you doing up so early? And why are you so happy?"

"Dude, its Sunday, why shouldn't I be happy?!"

Richard recalled what Sundays meant for Gar. Every Sunday, no matter what, Mrs. Logan made her legendary waffles with real maple syrup, straight from Vermont. It was very common for the Titans to get in on the delicious breakfast, Richard considered dropping by with Star today.

But first things first, "What were the bets made for the Anti-Fall Ball Gar? The one in regards to me and Star I mean."

Gar must have been drinking something when Richard said that, because there was the sound of spurting liquid, followed by loud coughing. "Wh-What're you talkin about?" he asked nervously.

"I know you've been making bets on when Star and I would get together, and dollars to doughnuts you made a ton revolving around last night. So who made them and for how much?"

There was a gulp, then a sigh of acquiescence, "Well, this time it was a pool, and a _ton_ of people were in on it."

"How much is a ton?"

"About half the student body and a quarter of the teachers. All-in-all, the winner will have won nearly 3,000 dollars."

It was Richard's turn to choke and start coughing.

"Yeah, I know. Since it was hard to keep track of everyone who wanted a piece, we assigned to two Titans the category they were betting on and all who were apart of it. And when somebody won, they'd divided the money amongst themselves and the other winners."

Richard gaped, he had never known his friends were so..._organized_. It made him wonder if they had some sort of underground betting ring set up. Then he shook his head and tuned back into Gar's words.

"Alan and Vic had you for before the A-FB, Bee and Jin put you down for the instant you saw her in that outfit, which I seriously thought would be the case when Star came. I mean, I nearly _died_ when I saw her…I never knew Starfire was _capable_ of being that hot-"

A loud, indignant "harump-HUM!" cut him off.

"But not as hot as you T!" he cried, voice nervous and high-pitched.

"Terra's there?"

Terra herself answered. "Yeah, I normally come for the waffles and stay for the _boyfriend,_ but now I'm not so sure!! And hi Richard!"

He chuckled, "Hey Terra."

Garfield, eager for distraction, went back to the original subject, "Anyway, Wally and Raven put their money on right after the party, kinda like a goodnight kiss when you're dropping off the girl, which would be kinda hard, since you live at the same house, but anyway, Me and Terra have you for a few days or weeks after, and since all the other times have passed, I-"

"Gar?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell Wally and Rae that they're three thousand dollars richer."

A plastic cup fell to the floor. And Terra screamed in shocked jubilation.

"WHAT?! YOU MEAN-"

"That's right, I'll see ya later Gar." He pushed the "end" button. And laughed himself silly. Being together with Star was going to be fun.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Richard looked at the clock one last time before heading to the stairs. Starfire normally took only 15 minutes to get dressed in casual clothes, and roughly twice that time has passed since she left for her room.

No one answered his knock. He turned the knob and gingerly poked his head in, "Star-" He broke off, and the door flew open.

Starfire's room looked like a battlefield. Pillows and bedding were shredded, knickknacks were destroyed, and craters, still smoking, covered every surface.

And Star was nowhere in sight.

He felt like he was being electrocuted, or someone had ripped his heart from his chest and stepped on it… with spiked cleats.

His ears picked up the sound of beeping; someone was calling him. But it wasn't on a phone, it was on the communicator he used when he was Robin, the one on a reserved frequency that only Batman, Vic, and himself had access to.

Vic never used it, and Bruce only used it in extreme emergencies, but he was in Taiwan, Richard knew. So who was calling him?

He soon got his answer.

"Good morning Robin, did you lose something?"

Richard felt the blood drain from his face.

"_Slade."_

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**OK, if you have read the latest chappie of Blue October, and this entire chappie, including the ending, and you are **_**still**_** mad at me for takin so long, you are seriously cruel. Do you have **_**any**_** idea of how **_**mean**_** the CSPB is when I write these types of chappies?! I'll tell you: **_**VERY**_

**Alright enough ranting. But I seriously love this chapter, it gives me chills when I read it, cuz I'm like, did **_**I **_**write that?**

**Now, for the other interesting and slightly disturbing Titan related thingie.**

**In two episodes of Justice League, "Wild Cards 1 and 2" the voices of the Titans, **_**all**_** of the team, is present, and they still play a team. But get this, they are a team of villains, known as The Royal Flush Gang…and they work for the **_**Joker**_**. O.o Yeah… And I think the writers made up these characters with a sense of humor, because**

**Scott Menville (Robin) played as King (go figure) and he has the ability to produce and control fire, but he's arrogant and **_**thinks**_** he's all leader-y and so great, but he's really a wuss. **

**Khary Paton (Cyborg) played as 10, who is also African-American and he's super strong and invulnerable, and he has a tattoo of a Spade over his left eye. He actually reminded me of the bad Cyborg…**

**Greg Cipes (Beast Boy) plays Jack, who can stretch his body like Madame Rouge (without the shapeshifting), and he's cocky and a bully, and **_**really**_** stupid. I mean, he called Batman **_**Grampa**_**! Does the kid have a deathwish?**

**Tara Strong (Raven) plays Queen, who can control metal. Though I must warn you,I didn't believe that it was her at first, because Queen is cocky and (gulp)…**_**preppy.**_** The voice doesn't match either… although Tara **_**does**_** play Bubbles on the Power Puff Girls, Britina on Kim Possible, not to mention Kole and Kitten…I'm not kidding, she does (the last one gave me the jibblies).**

**Finally, Hynden Walch (Starfire) plays a creepy little girl named Ace who looks almost **_**exactly**_** like Raven in semi-civvie form (ie: short black hair cut in an A-line, long sleeved leotard, pale complexion, big eyes, quiet)**

**And they guy who plays the Flash, Michael Rosenbaum, also plays **_**Kid**_** Flash soo…the whole thing was FREAKY, but I **_**totally**_** recommend seeing those eppies (you get to see Hawk Girl unmasked too!)**

**On a side note, I am 16!! Go me!! Also, on April 28, I'm headin off to Canada until May 15, so if I don't update in that time, you have yer explanation. **

**Dang, this is the longest A/N I've ever done. I wonder if yer still readin…oh you are? Wow, you have a lot of time on yer hands! lol**

**REVIEW!! REVIEW!! REVIEW!!**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	14. One Helluva Day

**OK, since you're reading this, I'm obviously back from British Columbia, Canada. And I had a BLAST!! It was BEAUTIFUL!! And I got to see a moose! But get this, I was BURNING UP out there. Who'd have thought it could be so hot? But it makes sense, since we were in a DESERT!**

**I've gotten several reviews sayin that they severely wanted to harm me for the oh-so-cliffhanger-y way I left off on the previous chappie. Well I gots one thing to say…**

**DON'T HURT ME!! I'M UPDATIN I'M UPDATIN!!**

**Yeah I'm a coward, but can ya blame me? You guys have incredible imaginations when it comes to threats!**

**On the other hand, I can only IMAGINE what yer gonna say after you finish this chappie. You know something's bad when yer flaming _yourself_**

**That's right, welcome to the dark part of my mind.**

**So…**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: Well Beast Boy, you've done very well in yer service for me, and I think you deserve a reward.**

**BB: Sweet! Are you gonna let me go?**

**Me: Nope, but guess what! I'm opening a new day spa for overworked and underappreciated super heroines! And yer gonna be our server!!**

**BB: WHAT!?**

**Me: (opens door and cuts ribbon with giant scissors) C'MON GIRLS! PAMPERING AWAITS!!**

**All TT heroines: YAAAY!! (Come stampeding in)**

**BB: (hand feeds Argent a grape while crying pathetically)**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**One Helluva Day (To be read in a very tired sigh) Chp 14**

Words couldn't accurately describe how stunned Dr. Samuel Stone was when he opened his door to reveal a visibly livid Robin.

"Dr. Stone," he said with forced politeness and hardly restrained anger, "can I speak to your son?"

Dr. Stone tried to compose himself, "Um, may I-"

"_Please._" Robin somehow managed to put bonechilling malice in that single word.

"I'll go get him. Come in?"

Vic was out of bed and at the entrance of the breakfast nook in record time. To find that his 10-year-old sister, Sarah, was holding a bird-a-rang looking shell-shocked as she stared at the Boy Wonder holding their dad's favorite coffee cup, which, he noted, had the beginnings of a sizable crack in the handle. Fortunately, she wasn't pestering him, to Vic's relief. Robin didn't look happy.

And neither did his parents. "Victor Samuel Stone," boomed his mother, "Could you tell us _why _our town's protector is in my home?"

_Of all the questions she could ask…_the teenager thought and rubbed his shaved head. For about a year and a half now, no one had ever even _suspected_ that Victor knew Robin or who he was, Robin had made him swear under pain of death not to tell _anyone_.

And now the one to blow their cover _was_ Robin. But instead of feeling irritated, Victor was only worried. He may have no idea about what was going on, but he knew this: Robin wouldn't openly expose their connection unless something heavy was happening. The just-about-broken handle of the mug proved it.

But that still didn't make his job of explaining that he was friends with Jump City's superhero any easier.

Turns out, Robin had already figured this out. "Word is your son is one of the most brilliant computer hacker in the state. He won that competition right?"

Sarah recovered from her trance to voice adoring little sister pride, "Best in the _country_; he beat that nasty Gizmo midget at the National Championship."

Victor turned a light shade of red.

Robin's smile was a little forced, "Even better then, I have a problem that requires his…expertise, and I need it _now_."

Keilah Stone opened her mouth in protest, but it shut with a snap when her husband placed a gentle but firm hand on her shoulder. "Take Vic's car, I'm sure riding double on that bike wouldn't be the best idea."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

"**WHAT?!**"Vic'sbellow sounded throughout the Batcave. "_Ssslade _took Star!?"

Robin made no answer save a nod, and returned to the arsenal before him. Bombs, bird-a-rangs, bo staffs; all were being judged and selected and packed by an eerily silent Robin while Vic ranted.

"That…that…_CLORBAG_!!" he roared, steam almost literally coming out of his ears, "I'm gonna break off his fingers, put em into some chili, and feed it to him!!"

Despite everything that had happened, Robin smirked at the rather enticing image his best friend's words brought to mind. He shook his head in appreciation, telling Vic was a good idea; his rage was far better to let out than Robin's. It was less dangerous. And besides, Slade could have _all_ of Robin's anger this way. His grin grew grim with anticipation.

"Are you finished?" he asked.

Victor thought, "Did I mention he was a _clorbag_?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm good, when do we head out?"

Robin looked up from the bird-a-rang sword he held, eyebrow raised, "We?"

"Yeah, that's why you asked me out here right?" Robin visibly tensed, "_Right_?"

"Um, no, I need you to stay here and help me track down Star. And cover for me too."

Vic looked hurt for a moment, then sighed. He and Richard would always be friends, but he had to face it, Robin would never consider him anything but a hacker, or an alibi.

Which totally sucked, since beatin up the baddies looked like _fun_.

"What's the problem with the signal?"

"Well, I can track it well enough, but Slade's toying with me. It leads to areas that don't exist, or grocery stores, or just dead ends. Then to make it worse, when I make a little headway, he switches the frequencies and scrambles the signal ever few minutes, and I lose the trail. That's where you come in. I need my genius best friend to put on your computer charm and help me find them before he…hurts her."

Vic blinked, Robin the Unbreakable had sounded scared.

He felt a rush of sympathy, "Alright, I'll get started now," he assured obligingly.

Robin took a deep breath to close the door on the small part of Richard he had shown, then nodded. To save face, he started loading his weapons into the vehicle.

And Vic suddenly noticed _what_ vehicle it was.

"**THE** **BATMOBILE**?!" Robin jumped, startled before being grabbed by his collar to face a Vic that looked ready to both cry and punch out someone. _"Why are you doin that to me man?!_

Robin gestured towards the now not-even-smoking anymore remains of the R-Cycle, "Slade somehow got explosives on my R-Cycle, _both_ of them," his mouth was twisted in an ugly frown, "and obviously detonated them. I need a car, and Bats' is the only one available."

He may as well have spoken to the late motorcycle. "ITS BAD ENOUGH," Victor bellowed, "TO FIND OUT THAT THE GIRL WHO'S LIKE MY LITTLE SISTER HAS BEEN _KIDNAPPED _BY A PSYCHO, AND THAT I CAN'T EVEN _COME_ TO SAVE HER; BUT _THEN,_ I HAVE TO ENDURE WATCHING YOU BLAZE OFF IN THE AWESOMEST CAR EVER MADE, A CAR THAT I'M NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO _TOUCH_!?" He was shaking Robin at the end of his tantrum.

Robin's eyebrows were hitting his hairline, too dumfounded to speak except for, "Um, yes?"

Heartbroken tears were now streaming down his face, "That's just _mean_ man, you know I've been wanting to get into that car!"

Robin smiled with no humor, "So have I Victor, so have I."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Consciousness came slowly, dangling like a string held just out of a kitten's reach.

The first thing she saw when she had enough wits to open her eyes was her body from the chest down, which was to be expected, since her head was hanging forward. She saw her outfit, it was her Tamaranian one, which she had decided to wear after being hit by a wave of nostalgia, since after all, it _was_ what she had been wearing when she met Richard.

_Richard_.

Her clawings at the string became more precise. Her head ached, probably due to the gash that rested on the left side of her skull, just above the temple. She realized what the dark dried liquid on her neckplate and shirt was. And when she rubbed her face against her arm to wipe away the dried blood, she noticed that her arms from the elbow were encased in heavy metal cuffs. Her feet were in the same shape. She summoned her strength, and found it of no avail. She was completely befuddled, until she registered the dull brass-green color of the restraints.

The alloy was of alien origin.

"Good morning Starfire, I trust you slept well?"

Her claws sunk into the string.

Her face and words bespoke of a diplomatic courage she only partly felt, "Please, who are you and why have you captured me?"

The man in front of her chuckled, as if he was speaking to a precocious 5-year-old, "You may call me Slade," he invited.

Starfire studied Slade. He was attired in silver armor that looked flexible and lightweight on his shoulders, arms, and legs. The rest of the suit was made of black material, including half of his mask, and also, she noticed, it was devoid of an eyehole. The other half of the mask was a bright orangey copper, and the eye that stared out of it was a dark gray, like the clouds of Centauri before one of their famous snowfalls.

But it was his posture that unnerved her, oddly enough. He had the stature of a conqueror, strait and military, feet placed parallel to his shoulders, firmly rooted to the ground. His head was held high and perfectly balanced on his powerfully broad shoulders. His well-muscled arms were kept behind him, elbows bent at perfect 90degree angles, bespeaking of a man of command and importance.

Slade exuded confidence, a confidence placed in himself. _And well-placed_,thought Star with an inward shudder. "I will ask you again, why did you capture me?"

"I think we both know the reason my dear."

"I believe I do not."

Despite the mask, she could tell he was smirking, "Revenge," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I want it on my old apprentice-"

"-And _I_ want it on _you_."

Starfire froze and turned her throbbing head to the new voice. An exotic looking girl with raven colored hair and slanted purple eyes entered the room.

She had on an outfit similar to Star's, save it was black and had silver sleeves. But one other thing was different, and that was on her neckplate. In place of the dark jewel, there was an orange circle with a silver "S".

The trapped Tamaranian thought she was going to be sick.

"Starfire, meet my new apprentice, Blackfire."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

As Slade set to work tweaking and fiddling with an array of devices, Blackfire smiled menacingly at her younger sister.

"Surprised to see me little sister?"

"Strangely enough, I am not," Star said in slight wonder, "however, I am curious as to how you came into contact with your…_employer_."

Blackfire laughed at her sentence like it was the funniest thing in the world, "Once word gets out that you're an alien princess looking to get even, the psychos come to _you_."

Starfire noticed that Slade had been listening to their conversation, and that he had looked sharply at his apprentice at her last words. "I am sorry, by what do you mean 'psychos'?"

"Oh you know, people who nobody likes or cares about, so they try to fill the pathetic void of their existence with destruction, revenge, and cheap thrills."

Star restrained herself from making the tart comment that her older sister had pretty well described… well…_herself_. Discreetly, she saw also that by now, Slade was looking at Blackfire with malevolence in his one eye.

"I had to go through all _sorts_ of losers around here before I met Slade. Of all the other so-called criminals out there, at least he knows basic stuff, not that he can even _touch_—AAH!" She was cut off via a gloved hand, courtesy of Slade himself.

He seemed unmoved, "_Never_ disrespect me like that again," he said harshly, "especially when I'm in the room to _hear_ every word you're saying."

Blackfire's hand flew to her reddening cheek and jumped up, fists clenched, eyes taking on a purple glow that promised death and destruction to whoever had struck her. But she stopped herself so abruptly, it almost made you wonder if you had really seen the anger in the Tamaranian.

"Yes sir," she said softly and bowed, so humbly that it had Starfire blink in astonishment at the side she had thought her sister was not _capable _of.

Slade nodded with a dignified arrogance that at one time only royalty could have, "Good girl," he said like Blackfire was an unruly puppy.

He turned his back to her, and only then did Blackfire allow the unadulterated fury she felt filter into her glowing eyes that seemed eager to let loose the beams they could unleash. Star briefly remembered the earth phrase about how looks could kill, and she was somewhat disturbed at how completely accurate it was now.

She decided to ask the question that had been bothering her, "Excuse me," she interrupted politely, knowing that this man put a certain value on tact, and that it was in her best interests to keep on his good side.

Slade looked her way, and Star could tell that he had an incredulous but approving eyebrow raised at her manners, and she sighed slightly with relief, "Yes?"

"Who is the 'old apprentice' of whom you spoke of previously?"

Mask or no, she could tell he was smirking, "Oh I believe you're well acquainted with Robin, after all, you're his partner. You go by Flame right?"

She didn't know what stunned her more: the fact that Robin had once worked for this terrible man, or that he knew she worked with him.

Slade saw her astonishment, and relished it. "Yes," he confirmed, "Robin was a fine student, however lacking gratitude for all I did for and offered him…"

Starfire hated him suddenly, hated him with a pure passion that took all of her reason to convince her from howling like a caged animal. But some of his words caught her attention.

"…quite disappointed that you don't remember me."

Starfire's brow furrowed, "I am…sorry?" No apology had ever been so hard for her to choke out.

Slade chuckled, "Yes, you have met me Starfire. I believe Robin had even given me a name…what was it? Patch? Yes, Patch, that was it." He chuckled again, "Robin doesn't have much of a sense of originality does he?"

She tensed, the cords in her neck sprang out prominently as she fought to keep herself composed, "I remember you. You had stolen items that had the appearance of precious gems, but they were not."

His eye widened slightly, "That's true, they weren't jewels, they were batteries…for the machine you are in now, my dear."

Star concentrated to keep her repulsion at being called 'dear' out of her face, "And what is this machine's purpose?"

Slade was grinning, she could tell. "It's a marvelous device," he gloated, "when the crystals I stole are placed with certain other compounds at high heat, it produces a reaction that can create and transmit the power of the sun into an organism."

Star's jaw sagged in disbelief. Humans didn't even have the materials for that type of technology, much less have the intelligence to create it. "H-how did you accomplish this?"

"I can answer that," Blackfire broke in, reminding the two of her sullen presence.

But she didn't look sullen now. If anything, she looked as gleeful as Slade did.

"Let's just say I've made a few Psion friends."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Vic threw up his hands in outraged defeat, "I can't believe it, this thing was _designed_ to waste our time, it didn't have a signal to trace at all!"

Robin's gloved hands carved temporary grooves down his face. The damned fake signal had already done what it was programmed to do for over 35 minutes!! But halfway down his cheeks, they stopped, and his eyes opened wide. "The explosives."

"What?"

"The explosives on the bike! The detonation command had to have come from somewhere!" he raced over to the table holding the little devices.

After 2 minutes of harried searching, Robin lifted a relieved face and tossed the spent explosive to his friend.

"Work your magic Mr. Wizard, we're running out of time."

After an hour and a half of hacking, code breaking, and frantic hunting, the computer finally triangulated a position.

"She's at 3425 West Derby, just outside of Jump." Robin could've kissed Vic. Instead, he raced to the Batmobile, and without so much as a goodbye, he throttled out of the Cave at a speed even Batman probably wouldn't approve of.

Victor watched as the car of his dreams blazed away, and sat down, tiredly rubbing his bald head as he prayed for his friend to find Starfire before it was too late. If, God forbid, Star died, Vic feared for Robin's reason. That man just loved her too much, not that he'd ever admit it, to anyone.

So lost was he in his prayerful entreaties, he didn't notice the screen behind him with the trace signal on it begin to flicker.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

She had no idea how much time had passed. Days, weeks, _minutes_, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered now, except the blinding, agonizing, nauseating pain that coursed through her body for too long a time, and the sweet relief she felt when it was stopped for too short a time. These were the only things that she had energy to care about.

Besides Richard at least. She thought of the way his eyes looked when he had kissed her all that time ago. Attentive, grateful, tender, and complete and total joy had shone in his glorious blue eyes. And overwhelming love, too. Despite the terrible pain she felt, she smiled softly.

Until the hum of the machine began, the familiar torturous light traveled once more on its destructive path, and she retched until warm liquid poured form her mouth.

Which, if she could have been able to think clearly through the haze of pain she was in, would have struck her as odd, since she had long since emptied every one of her stomachs, and since then, her convulsions had been just dry heaves…

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Inside, the Batmobile's powerful engine hummed as it zoomed along the road.

Robin eased the throttle lower as he prepared for a turn, executed said turn, than all but jammed it back to its original pace, angry at the tiny decrease in speed.

He made no sound, and his face was cold and impassive. He felt encased in ice. And that was good, he wouldn't feel now, he would later, when he found Star. And Slade.

He gritted his teeth, then inhaled deeply, "Azerath Metrion Zinthoooss," he breathed, and was surprised at how much the odd words calmed him. Raven had made them up when they were kids, and used them as a substitute for counting to ten when she was angry or upset, and still did, occasionally.

Not that it had helped Dr. Light. Or Gar when he went into her room.

But the truth was, the words may have made him impassive on the outside, but the inside was another story. Robin could still feel the livid rage, boiling in the pit of his stomach under a tight lid, only emitting tiny puffs of steam. He actually wondered what was going to happen when the lid was lifted.

_I guess I'm about to get my answer_, he thought as he approached his destination.

The hatch opened with a "whoosh" and he stepped out, and the Batmobile made a low "rizz" as it camouflaged itself to the brick wall of the dark alleyway it was in. Robin melted into the shadows, and masked blue eyes missing nothing as they scanned the surrounding area.

Cameras were mounted on the building less than a block away, and so were pivoting infrared lights that could only be motion detectors. Several persons walked by, who looked as normal as anyone else, but Robin knew better. The way they moved, taking surreptitious glances in all directions, it was purely robotic. They were sentries, waiting for him.

Briefly, insanely, he noticed that it was a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky.

It was almost too easy to sneak by it all. Every security measure was located in the same place in the exact same pattern: infrared, camera, and sentry. _I guess my days as his apprentice weren't a total waste_, he thought wryly.

The hard part, however, was the actual door. Slade's systems weren't easy to hack, and the constant flow of electronic guards made matters even worse. Then at long last, he was able to key in the right code, and slip inside the building, bo staff already in his hand.

To see that the room was empty. He nearly screamed aloud, but the communicator in his belt distracted him.

"What?!"

"Yo Robin, the signal we got was a dud! It's a trap!" But Robin wasn't listening anymore, he was looking at all of the robots that had come from apparent nowhere, all armed with those laser guns, each trained at him.

"I'll call you back." He put the communicator into his belt, and broke into motion like he had been in a film set too slow, then to super fast.

The first of the hundreds of robots went down beneath his steel-toed boot before it could even compute his movement, and all hell broke loose.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

To her shame, she was screaming. Screaming in English, screaming in Tamaranian, and screaming in the language only spoken by the ones in ultimate suffering. But despite this small defeat, she refused to lose anymore. No crying, no begging, no fainting, and no dying.

But the second to last was the hardest of her resolutions to keep. Surrendering to the easy serenity of the unconscious world was considered worse than dying on Tamaran. They were a strong race, a strong people, and torture could and should be escaped by three routes: self-emancipation, rescue, or expiration. These ways were honorable, respectable, and Starfire knew that, as a Princess, she of all people would keep to this traditional determination. After all, the majority of Tamaranians believed her a coward for running from Blackfire, she wouldn't have another failure thrown in the face of her people.

But she was so tired. The terrible yellow light that traveled through her limbs into her body drained her, hurt her in ways she hadn't known she could possibly feel. She fought it with all of her incredible strength, plus the strength _X'hal_ gave to the desperate, to keep the blinding hot pain from exploding her to pieces. But just because she would not be beaten, doesn't mean she was incapable of being broken.

And as the blackness crept upon her for the thousandth time, she wondered if that would really be so bad.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Approach opponent. Knock gun from opponent's claw-like hand. Grab opponent's head and kick chest. Drop severed head. Repeat.

Large arms grabbed him from behind, stilling the discs he had poised to throw. He stopped for a moment and caught some of his breath before rearing back and kicking the robot in the head, creating a substantial crippling dent. Turning around, the disks were thrown and he shielded himself with his cape. A sizable boom shook the ground, and he sprung into a punch at the Slade-bot before the vibrations had ceased.

He pulled out the last of his bo staffs and whipped it against one of the robotic heads before driving the end of it into one of the three eye panels of another. Retracting it to half its size, he threw it at one on the rafters and caught it as it boomaranged back. Pulling it back to its regular length, he threw it like a javelin, pinning one android to the beam behind it. A bird-a-rang was pulled out and thrown in one smooth movement, and he paused once more, focusing, before punching into the chest of the damaged gray-white machine and pulling out a red beeping device.

Running, destroying machines in his path, he jumped like a cat before landing on the metal rod, which ricocheted him to the roof.

Hanging by a ceiling duct, he threw down the piece of robot and pulled himself into the duct. The explosion that ensued put all the previous ones to shame.

Using the time he had bought, he checked for injuries, and was shocked that there were none aside from a few small bumps and scratches, a rather dirty uniform, and being a little out of breath. His equipment survey, however, was another story, and he swore.

A red beam of light, however, cut short his time, and he moved as quickly as he could in the small space, thousands of lasers following him. Kicking open another vent, he threw down the last of his available smoke pellets and pulled out a remote, signaling his mentor's means of crime fighting transportation.

Sneaking through the clouds, he came to the door and opened it when he heard the familiar roar of the motor. Another belt, clean and fully armed was mechanically thrown to him, and he changed belts and turned around, bird-a-rang in hand in about 4.32 seconds. However, a female computer generated voice that he knew well caught his attention.

"Multiple robotic threats detected, initiating EMP and protective shield." A strange, dark gray field coated the Batmobile and a white arc with a blue tail shot forward, shaking the ground in its path.

Robin watched in fascination as all the androids which had been approaching him fell to the ground, white electricity crackling though them as they writhed on the floor.

"Well…that's convenient."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

It could not be fought any longer; she could not fight any longer. Her body began to slump against her restraints as spots crept into her eyes, and the pain of the solar energy lessened. In fact, it seemed to feel… nice, comforting, _strengthening_. And the feeling grew as she relaxed.

Was this what tortured incognizance felt like? Or was this death?

But she had no time for answers, because the dying hums of the solar machine brought her back from the blissful tranquil haven.

Slade's voice shattered the last remains, "Ah ah ah my dear, no taking the easy way out." He sounded amused as he rose from his seat. "Apprentice."

Blackfire snapped to attention, "Yes?"

"I need to see how my friend is doing, watch your sister and continue." The alien nodded and watched as he left. As soon as the doors closed behind him, she plopped into the seat he had vacated.

"I can't believe it, he gets a comfy leather chair, and all I get is a plastic piece of crap!"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Robin tried his communicator, then growled in frustration when he realized that the EMP had fried it. He walked to the Batmobile and retrieved a new one.

"Robin to Cyborg, come in Cyborg." His lips twitched as he spoke his friend's code name, which Victor had come up with in a pie-induced high. He had such a way with computers, Vic had said, he wouldn't be surprised if he had circuitry in his system. And so the name stuck.

"Cyborg to Robin, hear ya loud and clear and dang I'm glad to hear from you! Are you OK man?"

"I'm fine, but that doesn't matter. Have you found Starfire?"

"No, but I'm getting there."

Robin exhaled through his teeth as he leaned on the large metal door, surveying the damage, "Please hurry Cy, I'm worried that she's-" He stopped in mid sentence as he stared, his mouth hanging open.

"Rob? Robin? Ya there?"

The Boy Wonder barely heard Victor's voice, all his focus was on the door to his right. A door that hadn't been there before. And it had the charred remains of a holo cube at the base of it.

"Don't bother with tracing Cyborg, I found Star."

"What? How di-" but he was cut off as Robin clicked the communicator shut, opened the door, and entered the elevator it revealed.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Well, he didn't really _enter _the elevator, it was more like grabbing the doorframe and swinging up, kicking through the emergency hatch and up onto the roof in one fell swoop so as to avoid camera detection. Then hacking into said camera to scope out the area, then cursing when it was discovered that it only was connected to the ones related to the elevators, meaning only getting to see the hallways. After this, hot-wiring the lift into taking him to the first clear corridor was involved.

Not really typical elevator protocol.

The elevator stopped on Level 3, where he exited and slunk down the hall. He dropped down on the first robot he saw and quickly snapped its neck. A search through its belt compartment revealed a card key, which opened all the rooms he encountered. Twenty-three rooms later, he found that the level was all clear, so he opened the stair access.

A legion of robots greeted him.

He sighed tiredly, "I don't have time for this," and with that he turned around and closed the door behind him.

There was a brief silence, then all of the machines looked at each other in robotic-like confusion. All of their data, their programming, their artificial intelligence, had all come to the same conclusion: Robin _never_ ran away from a fight. When faced with any weapon related to Slade, he would attack with no hesitation at all.

But just now, he didn't. The complex was so huge, it wasn't something the Slade-bots could comprehend. A few actually self destructed from the conflict of data and design.

Which would have amused Robin, had he not been in the air vent so as to escape the Slade-bots he met coming down the hall.

After returning to the elevator shaft, Robin tied a rope to a handy beam and started propelling. He headed down, where Slade would almost positively have Star, and along the way, he found the room that showed level maps and power grids.

Level 0.5's power chart was off the scale.

Robin activated the door with the card key and went inside, only to freeze. The room was poorly lit and the single footstep he had taken had echoed in the forbiddingly silent, and seemingly large, room. He was instantly tense and alert, eyes searching through the semidarkness. The hairs on his neck prickled, a sure sign that someone was watching him from behind, and he jumped forward, bird-a-rang in hand, turning just in time to see the spot where he had stood explode.

A familiar chuckle drew an icy way along his spine. "Your skills improve with our every encounter Robin."

The room's poor lighting found new strength and burst into brightness that made Robin blink and squint. Various gears and rotary vanes reminiscent of the inner structure of a clock came to life, the constant factor in all of Slade's lairs.

And Slade himself was leaning against a supporting beam above the heroes' head, looking as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Robin found the animalistic rage inside him begin to strain and chomp at its bit. "Enough of your stupid banter Slade, where's Flame?"

"Don't you mean Starfire, Richard?"

Robin resisted his urge to lunge. "_Where_ _is she_?"

"She's having a little reunion, it would be best not to disrupt that. Besides, we have much catching up to do Richard. Or should I call you _Dick_?"

His control snapped. He gave himself over to the rage, red filled his view, and he knew no more.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

With a roar, he had a bird-a-rang aimed towards the villain's head in the time it took to blink. But Slade dodged it with his inhuman reflexes, and leapt down to the waiting Robin.

He dodged out of the way only seconds before the villain landed solidly, his fist leaving a deep rounded hole. Normally, he would have stood straight and flexed his hand with a sickening _crack_, but he had no time, because a green fist slammed into the side of his mask, which emitted a crack of its own.

Slade bounced along the smooth concrete floor harshly, quarter stunned at the change in his young enemy. Robin never fought so…_dirty_. Which he decided to comment on as he rose.

"Now Dick, that wasn't a very nice and honorable thing for a hero to do now was it?" His eye widened as he barely dodged another bird-a-rang.

"Screw honor, and screw you Slade. You crossed the line _first_."

Anger swept through the villain and he charged forward, delivering a strong punch to Robin's chest that made him stagger back a few steps, out of breath. Ire made his voice impeccably vicious, "But I thought that kidnapping and torturing your little girlfriend was what the villain was _supposed _to do."

He got into a horse stance quickly, lashing out with a No Shadow Kick, one of the fastest kicks he knew. He blinked and time stood still when he realized that Robin had caught it, looking murderous. Slade's mask was introduced once more to Robin's gloved fist and he fell back with a thud that turned into a slam when the Boy Wonder front flipped quickly and came down powerfully onto his enemy's chest.

"What are you doing to her?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Slade brought both steel toed feet forward and forcefully landed them on the back of his former apprentice's head.

Robin fell back, dazed, and Slade jumped up in one smooth motion. He saw the boy struggle to get up, but he didn't give him a chance to. Instead, he utilized a favorite attack of his, grabbing the end of Robin's cape and throwing him into a wall.

But Slade had underestimated Robin's recovery time, and the knowledge he had of his own habits. The Boy Wonder snapped from his fake stupor mid flight and hit the wall in a crouch, then sprung forward like he had been shot from a cannon, his shoulder making complete contact with Slade's chest. The villain fell much like a sacked football player, and Robin leapt clear before pulling out his bo staff and extending it.

Slade raised himself up again, lightly touching his chest and fighting the urge to wince, until spite blocked all thoughts of pain. He produced his own bo staff, and charged forward with a yell.

To describe the fight that had ensued, the blocks, the parries, the blows, would have taken too many pages of tedious fighting with neither Hero nor Villain gaining anymore ground than the other. But while Robin had youth and rage on his side, and Slade had incredible stamina and experience on his, both were still becoming equally tired, and Robin decided to end this battle that had taken too long already.

Blocking a blow, he bent backwards and threw Slade with all his might, who landed, catlike, on his feet, as Robin had suspected he would. But Slade found his stance broken as Robin spun with a roar, and his bo staff extended to a length Slade had never seen before it slammed into his ankles.

Robin grinned in triumph, throwing several explosive discs at his fallen enemy, and waited for Slade's demise.

But the electric disks merely clattered and skipped along the floor, like smooth rocks thrown at the beach.

Robin blinked for a moment, and Slade realized what had happened instantly. That EMP hadn't knocked out just his robots, it had also had diffused Robin's own bombs, which were electrically based.

With this in mind, Slade stood up, eye narrowed in gleeful menace as he held up a hand with explosives of his own, ones that worked.

Robin's mask widened as his eyes did, and his face said one thing: Oh_ crap._

_Quite rightly_, Slade thought, and threw.

He didn't manage to get completely clear, and the explosion sent him flying into the wall with a bang.

Which snapped the haze-like fury, bringing Robin and Richard back to the world.

But it seemed that the return trip wasn't fast enough, as Slade jammed a knee into his gut, then began to pound on him in earnest.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Purple eyes glittered harshly as she watched her little sister writhe, then looked to the lever, which she had started pulling, therefore powering down the machine. Starfire slumped against her bonds tiredly in relief.

This was better than Sirulian Fear Factor.

"Why?"

Blackfire looked up uninterestedly from the readings on a computer, "Why what?"

Starfire swallowed, but there was no friendly saliva to soothe her throat; the machine had her severely dehydrated. But she spoke anyway.

"Why the Psions?" she rasped, "Why this torment? Why me?" Her eyes were dry with tears she refused to shed.

Blackfire's face grew hostile with recollection "Because, I very nearly ended up in the spot you're in now!"

"H-How did you accomplish that?"

"Well, while I was looking for you, I was in the Psionic quadrant, and I got caught by Yenler." Starfire gasped; Yenlar was a well-known Psion scientist and admiral. His fame, or infamy, rather, was based on the horrific experiments he conducted on any being he could capture, and he would routinely broadcast the procedure to all view screens his signal could reach. And his signal spread far. Worst of all, if he took a particular interest in one of his "test subjects," the atrocities reached levels that could make the hardest of hearted cringe.

The younger Tamaranian shuddered at the thought of her older sister at the hands of such a terrible man.

As if reading her thoughts, Blackfire smiled in fake comfort, "Aww, don't worry Starry, I didn't get hurt. You see, Yenler can be very reasonable." Starfire's shiver stopped cold as she considered what this meant.

"I told him about my little problem, and he was _so_ sympathetic, he decided to make a deal. I get my revenge, he gets a live Tamaranian cadaver put into his newest toy, as well as all the data we acquire. Which is being sent as we speak."

Starfire had always held a certain pity for those who did bad things. When she looked at them, she only saw the tormented soul they had, bruised and broken by the cruel world they lived in. But now there were two exceptions. Slade, who's soul seemed as untormented as they come, and now her sister, who had betrayed her for the last time.

After all, even the kindest person's mercy can run out.

_Rumaka fo kend'r scin Komand'r, acktw'n scin gezkah. X'hal fo nublat sync'sderar,_ she hissed, eyesgreen and unforgiving.

Blackfire paled and for once in her life, seemed at a loss for words. Her baby sister had just done something that hadn't been done in several decades: she had renounced Blackfire as her sister.

It was a legal right that royalty had, to sever the connection of any sibling they wished, and it was a serious action, done only when one heir had done what the other heir had considered unforgivable. Simply speaking, the two girls were no longer sisters in Starfire's eyes. She only saw Blackfire as an enemy, a traitor, just another person, and a terrible one at that. Such a declaration hadn't occurred since their great-grandmother's time, when her brother had killed their newborn baby brother.

She stared at the girl that had once been her sister and let memories of growing up together wash over her. And her face grew bland and jaded.

"Then I guess there's no reason for you to live anymore is there?" She savagely activated the machine, and turned it to its highest level.

Starfire's scream echoed throughout the building.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Robin's head shot up, his bloodied face looking like he had seen death. "_Starfire_!"

He tried to rise, but failed and instead started crawling towards the area where the tortured scream had come.

But once again, the inescapable silver-gloved hand grabbed the front of his shirt and dragged him up to see the masked face he hated so much.

"You can't save her Robin, no more than you can save yourself. You had always worried it was going to end this way. How does it feel to know that it is? To know that you are no more than 100 feet from the woman you love, and you cannot save her? That she's going to die, and you can't do _anything _about it?"

A wholesome righteous fury cooked Robin's insides, and with a roar, kicked Slade in the knee with all the force he had. The nauseating sound of a bone breaking was heard, and the villain let go of him with a cry of pain. He fell on his good leg, clutching the other one desperately, and looked up to see a tattered green fist meet his mask. Another crack was heard, and it seemed that it was the last blow his mask could take.

The orange and black piece of metal clattered to the floor as the villain known as Slade disappeared, and a man fell to the floor, unconscious.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Robin froze, arms still raised in front of him defensively, and the room was silent, save for his heaving breaths. Cautiously, he approached the fallen person and saw the face he had wanted to see for so long.

It was old. It seemed to belong to someone in their late fifties, maybe early sixties, with gray hair on his head and goatee, and heavy wrinkles carved into it. But it was a strong face, squared and determined, and he had a simple eye patch over the right eye, not quite concealing a long scar that reached to his cheek.

After all this time, all his obsessing, his research, his hard work searching, he now could see the man behind the monster.

And he had no idea who he was.

Robin almost felt like crying. Its not like he was expecting some "Luke, I am your father," type thing, but he had always believed that seeing Slade's real face would be more…exciting. Now, all he felt was empty, save a small bit of relief, of triumph, and he suddenly knew what the empty feeling was. It was closure, the end of a binding part of his life, and now he stood with his wings unclipped, uncertain of where to go.

And then all at once, he knew where. He was too old for Robin anyway.

Wordlessly, he picked up the fallen mask, and came forward cautiously, still wary of a trick. Stooping forward, he gently placed the mask back on his greatest enemy's face.

He'd get Alfred to help him with a new suit, something darker, he already had an idea in mind. And a new name was definitely in order, maybe something with "night" in it.

Straightening up, an enormous pain blossomed from the back of his head, exactly where Slade had kicked him. He briefly registered the metallic reverberations of a pipe against his skull, and all went black.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

"Robin?"

_Star? That you? What's wrong with your voice, do you need water? _

"Robin _please_…"

_You sound worried, what's wrong Star? _

"Please awaken Robin."

_Huh?_

Rob-"

"Its been 45 minutes Starfire, give it a rest."

_Who's that? _

"Agh!"

"Hold still, I'm almost done!"

"Well its about time, I was getting impatient."

_Slade?_

Consciousness came in a burst of light. He immediately squinted and waited for his eyes to get used to the sudden brightness.

Thanking the inventor of masks, he looked around without moving his head. To his left was Slade, single eye currently twitching in pain as a black haired girl with unsettlingly dark violet eyes was bandaging his leg. He took in the orange skin, small eyebrows, and Tamaranian outfit, and struggled to keep his breaths even. In between punches and kicks, Slade _had_ said something about his replacement, looks like Star's sister now bore the title of apprentice.

It struck him that he had never found out her name, so he decided to call her Wench for now.

Wench stoop up, "That's all I can do, you're obviously going to have to stay off that leg until we can get you to a physicist. I still say we should go now, those two aren't going anywhere."

Slade doggedly ignored Wench and stood up, leaning heavily on a cane. "I'm not leaving until 'those two' are both taken care of. Robin's tricky, he could still figure out a way to escape despite my relieving him of his lock picks."

Well, that took care of _that_ option.

"And with her here, I'm _positive_ he would find a way. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't rip the chains from the wall."

"Oh please."

"Don't judge my former apprentice so soon Blackfire—"

Blackfire? But Wench was so much more fitting!

"—he's much stronger than he looks. After all he all but broke my shin in half." Slade walked--amazingly steady--farther right, just out of Robin's line of vision. "He must really like having you around my dear, I've never been kicked so hard in my life."

"It is as you stated, Robin is much stronger than you take him for."

Robin's heart leaped at the sound of Starfire's thin and croaking, but nevertheless strong voice.

"Well, lets see how strong he is when he watches you die."

Robin decided it was time to wake up. Unfortunately, an approaching Blackfire delayed him. She lifted his head up by his chin and she stared directly into his face. It took all his will not to flinch.

"Hmm, I can see why you like him Starfire, he _is_ cute. I wonder what it's like to kiss him."

"You'll never find out." Blackfire dropped his head like he had burned her and Robin smirked at her expense.

Finally able to look around, Robin turned his head and saw his beloved at last. He gasped at what he saw. He felt his face drain of blood, and he turned deathly pale.

Her clothes were stained dark and in singed tatters, revealing a humiliating amount of skin, and her hair was matted into dried points from the same substance on her clothes. He realized with horror what it was. What they had done to her, it had made her sick, and when there was nothing left, she had thrown up blood. Her skin was the worst of all. The familiar healthy orange glow was gone, and it was replaced with countless burns that oozed with puss and juice. Her arms had dried blood from where the cuffs had cut her, and more dried blood was crusted on her temple and face. She looked emaciated and dehydrated, despite the fact that she had been gone for such a short time.

Robin nearly cried. How could they do this to Star? She was a good, gentle person. But he met her eyes, and his anxiety dimmed. They looked exactly the same from when he had last seen her, serene, beautiful, and sparkling, while her cracked bleeding lips curved into a weak smile.

And then the physical atrocities didn't seem to matter so much, and Robin smiled back. He had found his Star.

"You're finally awake Robin. Good. Now you can watch Starfire die." There was no mercy in Slade's gray eyes as he turned the machine back on, and turned the knob a quarter of the way.

Robin watched, unable to look away. Bright yellow rings of crackling light were created from the cuffs and shot through Starfire's limbs. They encompassed her entire body, and she writhed in pain, fighting against her bonds, gritting her teeth against the pain

He turned it halfway.

Star cried out, but her hacking coughs cut her off. Robin wanted to clap his hands over his ears, to scream, to somehow will Starfire's bonds to break and for both of them to escape; anything to keep from hearing those terrible retching sounds.

Three quarters of the way.

She shuddered and closed her mouth tight, eyes desperate, but magenta colored blood trickled from her mouth. The shudders kept on coming, one after another, until a violent one had pried her mouth open, and her blood poured from her mouth. She was crying now; horrid, racking sobs that had tears unmercifully evaporated before they could cascade down her face, and humiliation was plain in her eyes.

Robin heard someone screaming; it took him a few seconds to realize it was him. And that the wetness on his mask were his own tears.

All the way.

She started to smoke. No, he didn't mean just her clothes, or her hair, he meant that _Starfire_ started _smoking_. Her soft skin developed furious weals and had the appearance of boiling under the monstrous power that was coursing through her. She screamed, answering his with hers.

Who knows how much time had passed, but to his horror, Robin noticed that her struggles were weakening, and the light was changing color as she tired. "_No _Star. Stay with me, STAY WITH ME!!"

Her eyes met his, now dry, all tears cruelly ripped away from her. They showed her pain, and her fight, and a terrible resolve to submit. "Goodbye," she mouthed. Her head hung impossibly loose, red hair forming a curtain between she and Robin.

_"STAARFIIIRRRE!!"_

The yellow light surrounding Star changed to green, and the machine's control panel surged with electricity. Blackfire cursed and shut it down.

"I thought you took care of that," Slade chilled.

His apprentice glared at him briefly, "I did too!" she protested before opening a panel and fiddling with some wires. "Stupid thing," she muttered, "just when it gets to the best part, it shuts down!"

Robin barely heard her, all his focus was on the dull red head in front of him.

"Star, Starfire," he called, "Wake up! C'mon Sweetheart please wake up!"

"Ah-AH-CHOO!!" An enormous green explosion buffeted them all. Robin grinned despite his hair, face, and outfit being covered in soot.

"G'luffnog," said Blackfire, looking dazed.

Slade seemed as stunned as she; "What just happened?"

"I'm not sure."

The two teenagers paid no attention, all their focus was on one-another.

Starfire smiled, "Robin."

"Star," Robin breathed as he took her in. Was it just him, or did her burns look a lot less irritated?

"I am grateful you came."

"Of course."

"How touching; it's a shame you have to leave so soon my dear." The machine started for a final time.

Robin barely suppressed his nausea as Starfire once more began to twist and flail in pain, and she screamed as burns blazed along her skin. But he spotted fighting determination was also etched into her contorted face.

It all clicked.

"Starfire, relax!"

Three pairs of eyes focused on him.

"Huh?" Blackfire summed up for all of them.

Robin only had eyes for Star. "Trust me," he mouthed.

Eyes clenched tight, the Tamaranian took a deep breath and let out all tenseness.

The yellow light instantly turned to a soft green.

Burns began to recede and heal.

Huge green eyes popped open in jubilant surprise.

Slanted purple eyes widened in shock.

Masked blue eyes grinned like a Cheshire cat.

A single gray eye narrowed in rage.

Slade had the cane to Robin's head in an instant.

Starfire's bosom heaved in fury, and the green light became more intense.

"Leave. Him. _Alone_!"

The bonds cracked and exploded. And Starfire rose to the ceiling, hands and eyes hidden with glowing green lights.

A barrage of emerald bolts rained down.

Blackfire was struck in the chest and into the wall, where she sank down, unconscious.

Robin's left shackle was hit, he pulled his hand free of the warped metal. He reached for a bird-a-rang, and cursed when he found his utility belt relieved of his weapons.

Slade was hit on his good leg, and he called for his robots, which arrived almost instantly.

Starfire chuckled and raised her fists.

Even though he was intent on removing his bindings, Robin couldn't help but stare as Starfire tore through Slade's mechanical helpers like they were tissue paper. One of them was making its way to him, laser cocked. A brilliant flash of green later, it was on the floor, decapitated.

He had always known that her aim would come in handy.

She proved his prediction true when she shot and disabled the call button on Slade's wrist, then sent another bolt to his head, sending him to the floor with a satisfying "clang." She remained in place, hovering and hands aglow as she took in the carnage.

"Starfire?"

The green light winked out and she spun around.

"Robin…" she lowered to the ground. Most of her burns were gone, her hair was restored to its normal shine, her eyes were vivid, still glowing slightly and panting with adrenaline. Her hair was still matted, and she still had dried blood and vomit on her, however, and her clothes were still…inadequately covering. Robin diverted his eyes from the highly enticing image. She had that warrior princess look going on.

A gunshot, however, retrieved his attention.

Emerald eyes bigger than he had ever seen; she touched her hand to her chest. The jewel from her neckplate was shattered, and magenta colored blood was gushing from it. She sank to the ground.

Blackfire laughed as she lay on her side, a gun that still smoked in her grasp.

A sound that could only be likened to a roar deafened her, and she looked to the side to see Robin hurl the chunk of metal that had been his left cuff at her with precise, deadly, aim. Her head fell to the floor with a hollow clunk.

With strength granted to the enraged and adrenaline rushed, Robin ripped his other shackle from the wall. He reached as far as he could and barely grasped a laser gun from a fallen robot and used it to open his leg bindings, screaming the name of his love all the while.

He sprinted to her and tripped on a severed automated hand, landing in something wet and cold and slippery. He looked at his hand, covered in the pink liquid.

Blood. Tamaranian Blood. _Starfire's _Blood.

He stripped off the piece of material and moved her hair out of the way gently. He put a shaking hand to her neck.

Nothing.

He pressed harder, no pulse, no beat, no reassuring "shomp thump." Something clawed its way from deep inside into his throat and erupted from his mouth in a loud wail.

Koriand'r, of Tamaran, was dead.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Readers, start your Flamethrowers.**

**L8r,**

**SAT**


	15. Shocks of All Kinds

**Me: Now, after that last chapter, I don't expect anything I can say in an Authors Note will help right? I figured. So just read this chapter, and review it at the end.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: (pokes head into storage room) Beast Boy? **

**BB: Aggh! (jumps in front of something on the wall and grabs a random package) I got the mud masks like you wanted!**

**Me: Beast Boy, that's foot fungus cream.**

**BB: Eww! (drops it)**

**Me: OK in light of my most recent writings, I figure you deserve a day off.**

**BB: (trying to hide his tears) Thanks Skyler.**

**Me: (looking behind him) is that a dart board with my face on it?**

**BB: (tries to block my view) NO!!**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Shocks of All kinds Chp 15**

"YOU OWE ME MONEY!!" was the first words out of Wally West's mouth upon seeing his dark-skinned friend enter the foyer.

Jen whirled on him in annoyance, pink eyes fairly glowing with wrath, "Wallace Arnold West! Shut. _­Up_!" Wally managed to look resentful and terrified at the same time before backing down, arms crossed with pout on his lips.

Meanwhile, Victor was trying think of a way out of this. Although Robin had broken contact over two hour ago, he could still call at any time. "Look guys, now isn't really the best time…"

But Bee had other plans, "Ohhh no you don't Sparky, you're not getting out of this one. Tell me," her fist rested itself on her hip and her eyes were narrowed, "_when_ did you plan on telling me what happened?"

Not for the first time, Victor felt a stab of guilt for lying to his girlfriend. "I'm sorry Bee, I wanted to tell you but—" He abruptly realized something, "Wait, how did you even know I was with Robin today?"

Seven pairs of eyes stared at him, seven pairs of HUGE eyes.

"Heah?" Alan honked.

It was rapidly brought to Vic's attention that they were talking about something else. A flurry of R-rated words were thought instantly.

"You're friends with _Robin_!?" squealed Terra, jumping up and down in rapid succession, Gar wasting no time in joining her. Alan, Wally, and Jin looked as pop-eyed as bullfrogs, mouths falling to their knees, Bee's look of hurt accusation at being left out of the loop was quintupled in power, and both of Raven's eyebrows lifted over moderately widened eyes.

A large hand was fixed firmly onto a face, set in a perfect expression of self-berating. _I am so screwed_.

He opened his mouth, praying that a convincing lie would come out, but he was jerked roughly toward the living room, and his own exclamation cut him off.

The football player was thrown unceremoniously to the couch. "What happened?!" demanded Bee.

Victor took a deep breath, _the things I do for my friends_… "Robin came to my house this morning looking for my help, and I went with him, I helped him, and he let me off here—I didn't really want to deal with my parents Al, and I wanted to talk to somebody—somebody who could keep his mouth _shut_," Gar shut his mouth and sulked, "But Richard and Star were already gone, so I just crashed." his pants were heard in the silent room as the Titans tried to understand what he had said.

Wally, being a fast talker in the first place, was the first to speak up, "What did he need help with? Or, can you tell us?"

Vic shook his head, "No, not much, but it was just some hacking and tracing, he was trying to find something."

There was another pregnant pause as the new information was being digested, and Vic studied his friends' faces for signs of misbelief.

Bee looked excited, thoughtful, and somewhat wounded, Terra was grinning, eyes bright with new secrets, Alan was looking at the floor, nodding in acceptance, Gar wore the epitome of elated expressions, Wally and Jen were looking at each other and nodding, one wearing a huge smile, and the other retaining a bit of wonder.

Raven looked skeptical.

Immediately nervous, Vic didn't know what to do with himself, Raven could read body language and physical expressions like one of the huge books she so often read. He considered his options. Looking at the ceiling was out, that meant he was doubtful of his own words, looking to either side wasn't a choice, it meant guilt and perturbation, focus on any of the other people present stated nervous avoidance, and the floor was a HUGE no-no, that screamed of lying. All that left him with meeting Rae's gaze directly.

But that was a bad option too. Rachel Roth, he swore, had the ability to read minds through eyes. And judging from the raised eyebrow and fixed gaze, he was certain she was turning page after page.

_Don't think about Robin_, he commanded himself, but honestly, when does that work? The strange occurrences, quick exits, unexplainable injuries, odd coincidences, lame excuses, all were being pieced together in the dark girl's mind as the helpless Victor watched.

The imminent climax of comprehension hit the both of them like a hug from Starfire, and it was twice as staggering. Vic had never seen Raven look so shocked, enlightened, and angry at the same time. He wondered briefly about the last one, but understood quickly. Raven was angry at herself for not realizing sooner, angry at Vic for lying to her, and angry at Richard for never telling her.

Abandoning all optical guards, he made his blue-gray eyes as expressive as he could. _I'm sorry for not telling you, _they said, _It didn't mean that he didn't trust you, he was really protecting you, giving you plausible deniability. But _please_ don't tell anyone. Please._

_You should have, I would have helped_, her eyes replied,_ And he could have trusted me, we all know I can keep a secret, and take care of myself. But I guess that was a nice thing for him to do…_ she closed her eyes briefly, an eternity. When they finally opened, they held understanding in their purple depths, _I won't tell._

He relaxed. _Thank you_, he mouthed.

She nodded.

"Is this a private conversation or can any telepath join in?" quipped Terra.

Raven rolled her eyes, "Just making sure he wasn't leaving anything out."

"Was he?"

"No," she swallowed unnoticeably to everyone but Vic, and he grimaced in regret for making her now lead a life of untruth.

"So," he changed the subject, "Why did y'all come here anyway?"

Gar instantaneously went to ecstatic, "Dude! Guess who called this morning?"

"Mega Meaty Meat," he deadpanned.

The vegetarian shuddered, "No! It was Richy! And guess what he told me?"

"He ran out of hairgel."

"No, he and Star got together last night!"

Victor choked on his own spit. Bee pounded on his back.

Wally was unsympathetic. "AND THAT MEANS YOU OWE ME MONEY!!" he roared, then heard an indignant cough, and he cringed sheepishly, "Well, me and Raven that is."

Vic groaned in pain, but not for the loss of a sizable amount of his claude, and not for the signals his lungs and throat were raging at him, but for Slade of all people. He finally got why Robin had flipped as much as he had.

Anything that happened to Star would be felt twice as much by her new boyfriend.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

It was not Robin kneeling next to Starfire, it was not the Boy Wonder who was broken. The hero had disappeared the moment the gun was fired, and now it was a teenage boy sitting amongst the rubble, dressed in a Robin costume.

Because Robin didn't feel pain, at least, not emotionally. Robin didn't scream aloud in agony, didn't beat the sky and curse the heavens for taking away another person he loved, maybe most of all. Robin didn't hold a dead girl's pulseless hand to his wet cheek. And Robin didn't cry.

Richard was the one who did these things, and he did them all by turns.

He could hear the crackling of broken machines, hear the hum of the air conditioning, hear the inhales and exhales of Slade. Several times he nearly rose to silence that breath, reached for some object to silence his own breath, but he stopped himself every time.

It wasn't what Star would have wanted him to do.

A fresh wave of tears gushed from his eyes and past his mask, down his cheeks, onto the body, mixing with the magenta blood that pooled on her chest and stomach. Memories played through his mind like a movie set on fast forward, pausing and playing some of his favorite scenes, bringing even greater onslaughts of salty water, until his mind at last focused on the last thing he wanted to relive. To yesterday night, the Anti-Fall Ball, how Starfire had looked, her red face when he gave her the corsage and compliment, the fireworks, the song, the dance on the beach, those countless, perfect moments, all leading up to the most perfect moment of all. He could feel her lips on his, taste her strange but wonderful taste, could see the love in her glorious eyes.

And he would never see it again. Her eyes were closed now. Forever.

He sobbed silently, his voice long gone hoarse, and he leaned forward, kissing Starfire one last time. His hand stroked her cheek, brushed her bangs from her face, and slid down to her neck, still searching for a sign of a heartbeat that was not there.

"Robin, why are you grasping my neck?"

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Review.**

**L8r **

**SAT:)**


	16. Post Arithmetic

**I know, I know, you hate me for scaring you like that, updating with such a short chapter, and leaving you off on yet _another_ cliffie. Well hate me no more my good readers! This chapter answers all questions, is long, and…well, 2 outta 3 ain't bad.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: Soo…Beast Boy, sorry about scaring you like that, but no hard feelings right?**

**BB: (turns into a T-Rex)**

**Me: …I'm gonna need a bigger shock collar.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Post-Arithmetic Chp 16**

He let out a hoarse yell and leapt back as if burned, only to stumble and land ungracefully on his back. He lay panting, eyes and mask widened to the point of covering his whole face, when he heard the best sound in the world.

Starfire laughing.

He raised his head, mouth hanging wide open, and he saw a small tan hand being held out to him, followed by green eyes, scrunched up and dancing with laughter. "I am sorry," she giggled, "you looked so comical—Oof!" Richard glomped her, almost to the floor, but she managed to stagger back and hold them.

The young man was laughing hysterically as he touched her back, hair, face, convincing himself that she was really alive. Starfire hugged him back fiercely, thanking X'hal that he was here and was uninjured. Mostly

They stood together for a few more minutes, until Richard took a deep breath and pulled back, Robin once more.

But even the Boy Wonder held her close, and seemed at a loss for words, "…How?" he finally rasped.

Starfire started to step back and Robin frantically grabbed her elbows. She met his anxious face quietly, and laid a reassuring hand on his arm, which relaxed almost instantly, although she made no more attempts to move away. She reached up and removed her singed and stained neckplate, revealing an unmarred throat and shoulders, save for a darkening bruise situated directly over her chest. Turning the plate over, Robin saw a small round dent in the otherwise smooth metal. "Bulletproof," he murmured, "but, the blood…"

"It was a liquid that resembles Tamaranian blood that expands upon contact with air," she explained, "Our heart is located precisely here," she pointed to the bruise, "and if we were to be struck there, we would be easily knocked unconscious, and if it were punctured, we would die instantaneously of blood loss. Most assassins aim for this area and Galfore had believed that fashioning my neckpiece to stop projectiles, however giving me the appearance of death would be in my best interests."

Robin grinned hugely before gathering her into another hug, "God bless your _k'norfka._" Starfire giggled again.

Slade watched the two embrace and tried to move his legs, to no avail. While one was already broken,he discovered, the other had been severely burned by one of the green bolts the alien princess had shot at him. He bit back a curse and reached into his belt compartment, pulling out a small silver rectangle, no bigger than a cigarette lighter. He slid the top covering away and pressed an aspirin sized button, smirking ruefully beneath his mask as the sounds of sirens and metal doors slamming shut and locking reached his ears. The lights went out, and the lair started to shake.

At least those two would go out with him.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Robin knew what had happened instantly. "We gotta go!" he shouted, gripping the redhead's hand and trying to feel his way out. He took a step forward. But something round was there, and it rolled under his shoe. He let go of Star in favor of catching himself, but his head struck the edge of something sharp, and he sank into a blackness that was as deep as the room he was in.

Starfire cried out his name and reached out blindly, growing more and more frustrated as time was wasted. She could hear things falling now, heavy things, and her breath stopped at the thought of something crushing the Earthling before she could find him. Rage swept through her at the thought of losing him so soon after acquiring him and her eyes began to glow with wrath. Her hand became dimly visible in the green light and she got an idea. Raising her hand and closing her eyes, she concentrated on her anger and the power that now flowed through her body, embracing it, imagined herself as one with the energy.

When her eyes opened, her hand was glowing, and she saw the Boy Wonder lying next to a broken chair, knocked out.

Feeling happy and angry was easier than she thought, seeing as how those were her exact emotions anyway. She grabbed up the fallen hero in the unlit hand and flew toward a door, now sealed and bolted. Her fury intensified and released through her fingertips, straight into the metal barrier, melting a big enough hole for a person to fit. Star fed Robin through it, then herself.

Slade watched them go, crunching the remote in his hand for somewhat of an anger release. The villain had thought this out so carefully, planned every detail, covered every loose end, only to have _lost_. He, Slade, master of criminal plots and psychological warfare, had lost to a kid who was three times his junior. And really, he hadn't exactly lost by any actions of the boy himself.

It had been by his girlfriend.

"Figures," said a biting voice and Slade snapped his head to the left, spotting glowing eyes belonging to his apprentice, who still managed to look arrogant despite the fact that most of her body was crushed under an enormous wheel that had fallen from the floor above.

"She gets a boyfriend, the throne, the rest of her life, and an incredible power. And all I get is a death here with _you_."

The defeated megalomaniac chuckled, "I'm sorry this is such a disappointment my dear, but I'm afraid that is the case."

"But how?" she demanded, "We had planned this out so perfectly…"

"We couldn't have foreseen what that machine did to your sister, Komand'r."

Blackfire let out an indignant huff, "Told you we should've gone to a physicist."

He shrugged as if she had scolded him for not packing an umbrella, "It doesn't really matter anymore. They won…Robin won."

Slade honestly couldn't decide weather he was angry or proud.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

It was hard. The complex was true to its name, having a puzzling maze-like layout, and the falling rafters and debris didn't make her task any easier. To make the situation worse, things were starting to catch fire and explode, leaving most potential escape routes cut off.

She came to a T-junction and started to turn right but an explosion buffeted her back. Understandably, she turned left and saw a metal wall; dead-end. She swore in Tamaranian and started to move away, hoping to beat any fires popping up along the way she came, then stopped. There was a section of metal that seemed different than the others; a brightening of her light revealed it to be a door on lock down. It was melted swiftly and showed an empty shaft of space. She shot an energy bolt, and it flew up many feet before crashing against the bottom of an odd metal box that blocked their way.

Gritting her teeth and screwing up her conviction, she rocketed skyward, fist pointed up and superheated to her will. A torrent of green projectiles shot upward like bullets from an automatic, and she punched through the bottom of the box, soon followed by the top, dragging Robin's limp form behind her. Her glowing eyes narrowed as eruptions shook the building as she kicked her speed up another gear. _We _will_ escape from here!_

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Penelope Smith walked along the sidewalk, a bag of groceries in one hand, and a heavy oversized purse in the other. She stopped to pick a rock from her shoe and mentally cursed the designer of the crappy canvas pumps she wore and the lazy mechanic who was currently in possession of her car.

_At least my apartment is near—_an enormous fireball that was once a warehouse a few blocks behind her stopped her train of thought. She whirled around in time to see two persons being hurled from the explosion and roll and skid along the road in a highly painful way. One of the figures crawled to the other and rolled them over, obviously checking for injuries.

By then Penelope had called for a paramedic, dropped her groceries, and was running to them, clutching her other bag tightly. She gasped at what she saw.

Robin the Boy Wonder was bruised, bloodied, and filthy, and was lying unnervingly still on the ground. Flame, Robin's new partner with extraordinary powers was in much of the same, if not worse condition. But she was still huddled over him, trying to check his pulse but apparently not having any idea how; she was pressing the area beneath his skull, instead of under his jaw.

Knowing this was no time to be tactful, she knelt by the young man and pushed the girl's hands away, only to be shoved violently back with Flame standing over her, hands lit in a deadly green glow. Penelope's eyes widened, that was a new trick; from what she heard, the girl was strong and could fly, and that was it. "What do you want?" hissed the female hero, eyes glowing with distrust.

"To help your friend. My name's Penelope Smith, I'm a doctor." She jerked off her hospital ID and held it out as proof.

The green glow winked out instantly and a look of utter gratitude graced the young woman's face as she stepped aside.

Dr. Smith checked his pulse and was reassured with a steady, if somewhat rapid, heartbeat. He had a broken rib and two more fractured, terrible cuts and bruises along his chest and torso; from what it looked like, he had been kicked and punched repeatedly. The rest of him had minor abrasions and lacerations scattered along his body, as well as some swelling bruises and bleeding knuckles, seems like the hero had done a lot of punching himself. There was severe head trauma at the back of his skull, as well as a sizable gash above his temple. She reached for his mask, and a tan hand gripped her wrist. She looked up into green eyes, wary once more.

"I need to see if he has a concussion," she explained hurriedly. Flame's grip didn't loosen. "Flame, I'm a doctor, and I have taken an oath of doctor-patient confidentiality, meaning whatever I find out about Robin will remain between he and I; I will never tell anyone else." Her earnestness convinced the superheroine, and she turned around, back to the boy.

Penelope started, she had figured Flame would've known who Robin really was. It struck her that she was about to discover their town hero's secret identity, and she pulled off the mask with a little more speed than necessary before pulling out a small flashlight and lifting the teen's naked eyelid, checking for normal dilation, and replacing the mask.

To say she was stunned was one of the hugest understatements of our time. Of all the people, she never would've believed that Robin was really Richard Grayson. _And that means…Bruce Wayne must be _Batman! She resisted the urge to squeal like a fangirl and bit her lip, inhaling, reminding herself of who she was. "OK, now I need to check you." Flame turned around with curious but resigned eyes as the doctor examined her.

Penelope was horrified. This girl was malnourished, dehydrated, and had a terrible wound on the side of her head. Her arms and legs were cut and chafed, her skin was unbelievably dry, she had vomit and dried blood on her, suggesting internal trauma, a nasty bruise on her chest, and had countless burns at varying degrees covering her from head to toe. Her clothes were filthy, singed and tattered. Her breath was uneven and raspy. Smith dug through her bag looking for her water bottle.

"What happened to you?" the physician whispered, holding out the water, struggling not to cry for her city's protectors.

Flame chugged a portion of the contents before lifting her partner's head and gently trickling some into his mouth. Tears filled Penelope's eyes at the kindness.

"It would be best if you did not know," replied the girl as the sound of sirens drew closer. Flame paled at the sound and instinctively looked around for something with which to cover her eyes. She was about to rip off a piece of her own clothing, when a pair of sunglasses entered her line of vision. Flame put them on and hugged the woman tightly.

"I thank you friend," she said in a voice that bespoke of sobs.

Penelope returned it fiercely, before pulling back, barely noticing what was now on the front of her shirt. "Don't you worry, I'm going to help you," she promised stoutly. "Now it would be best if you passed out, it'll make things easier on all of us."

Flame pulled back and nodded, then took a deep breath and set her jaw. The doctor's eyes widened with alarm as the redhead struck herself sharply on the bruise on her chest, then slump to the ground as the ambulance pulled up.

It was both the strangest and quietest ambulance ride to Jump City Memorial Hospital that any of the paramedics had ever been on. They watched silently as Dr. Smith tended to the injured teens and followed any orders when asked of them. No comment was made when Smith pulled out her cell phone and called some of the best and most trusted doctors at the hospital, explaining the situation and demanding that the delivery and treatment of the two patients would be held in utmost secrecy. All of the EMT's simply exchanged glances inside of the vehicle and said nothing, not even the normally chatty driver.

When they had reached the hospital and the kids were carted away, Smith reached into her bag and handed each of the medics an undisclosed amount of money.

"You saw nothing," she instructed and they quietly nodded their heads.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

Robin woke up slowly, as if he had been sleeping. He registered a faint beeping sound, and a warm weight on his arm. Blinking his eyes a couple times, he finally opened them halfway, spotting a red smudge. He passed a hand over his face a couple times, to feel cloth that didn't belong to his mask. His vision cleared and his hands suddenly had bandages on them, as well as an IV on one. Rubbing his head, he discovered two more bandages, one at the back of his skull, the other around his head. The beeping sped up a little bit and he tensed.

He was at a hospital.

Looking down, he realized that the red smudge was Starfire, asleep on his arm. She was bandaged as well. He smiled lightly and started to sit up, stopping when he felt a stabbing pain. A peek down the front of his hospital dress revealed white wrappings all along his chest. Ignoring his body's protests, he sat up and looked down at the slumbering girl, smile widening. Despite the white cloth swathed around her cranium, she looked peaceful, and he brushed the hair from her face before shaking her shoulder lightly.

"Star," he whispered. She moaned and rubbed her face against his hand, causing heat to rise up in his cheeks. "Starfire." Blinking sleepily, she looked up at him, and he smiled, "Hey."

"Greetings," she mumbled and set her head back down. Robin grinned _3…2…1…_ "Robin!" He chuckled as she shot up, eyes wide, before hugging him tightly about the shoulders, talking care not to disturb his ribs.

He stroked her hair, content. "Hey, you were the one to get us out of there right?" he felt her nod, "Then I guess that makes 4 times that you have saved my life." She giggled quietly and let go.

The two sat in comfortable silence before Richard voiced the question he had wondered since he had seen Starfire's room with no Star in it. "How?"

"Hmm?"

"I just keep wondering, how did Slade do it? How did he know about you? How did he know who I was?" Starfire made a face at the last question but pushed those thoughts aside.

"I can answer your inquiries."

He looked at her with new interest, "You can?"

She nodded, and explained. Since the actual recounting of the story took far too long, with too many details that nobody but Robin would deem important, let's recap.

In between bouts of her torment, Blackfire had gloated to her sister about the entire plan. The fire over at that building had been no accident; the older Tamaranian had tossed a bomb at it in an attempt to off her younger sibling.

Slade, as could be expected, had cameras mounted in and around the buildings, and had watched the catastrophe with interest, especially when he saw that Starfire had left the building with Robin in tow. Seeing potential in the young assassin, he contacted Blackfire, got the new apprentice he had been looking for, and together, they formed a plan.

Starfire had been right in not returning home, Blackfire had covered the possibility that her initial attempt would not work and had placed various bombs, poisons, and projectiles that would activate upon seeing Star's heat signature. While Galfore had located and destroyed most of these traps, there was still no way of knowing how many there were. So Starfire stayed with Richard.

Initial attempts to break into Wayne Manor had been thwarted, and the miscreants' plan had seemed hopeless for a while, when one of Slade's endless streams of resources tipped him off to Jason Todd, alias Xavier Redding. A master thief, wanted in quite a few countries for the theft and black marketing of multiple valuable and heavily guarded items, currently laying low in America. Slade saw his ticket into the fortress.

And a little cash here, a little tip about the Red X suit there, and next thing the master and apprentice knew, cameras were planted, Richard had a new headache to worry about, and they had information just waiting to be acquired.

And they acquired quite a bit. All they needed to know.

But the villains wanted to strike when both were most vulnerable. So they bid their time, hired thugs, did a little recon, observed, got needed supplies, watched, and waited.

Until the morning after the Anti-Fall Ball.

End recap.

Robin was stunned. All the little things, those countless little things that he brushed off, all turned out to be huge details in the end. _Some detective I am._

Starfire watched emotions play across his masked face, and here eyes widened when she saw guilt tugging at his lips. "Robin it is not your fault, you did not know."

"I should have Starfire, there were so many things I should've noticed."

"But Robin, you were not there to see most of those things."

"What do yo—oh." his mask seemed to double its weight on his face. "But I'm still mad at myself for not being able to do anything." Soft hands grabbed the sides of his face and forced him to look into malachite-colored eyes.

"Robin, you have don't more for me in the past hours of today than anyone has ever done for me in my life." She drew him close, hugging him tight, "And I will be forever grateful," she whispered.

He sank into the embrace, thankful for her talent to be able to pull him from the depths of guilt. "No problem," he said inadequately.

After a long time, she finally pulled back and braced herself for what else she needed to say, praying it wouldn't blow up in her face.

Her eyes were serious as she spoke, "Robin, you have most likely gathered that we are at a hospital." Broken from his musings, Richard nodded and she told him what she had seen and what Penelope had done for them.

Robin was suspicious at the end of the explanation. "Are you sure she can be trusted?"

"Most definitely, Dr. Smith believes very strongly in the oath of secrecy she took and promises to never let our secrets leave this hospital. Most of the personnel does not even know we are here."

Robin relaxed and Starfire took a deep breath, "She wants me to ask you to do something that may put you at unease."

He tensed up again, "What is it?"

"Robin we cannot continue to be patients at this hospital as heroes, simply because our families and friends will wonder about where we are, or someone will find us out and eventually be doing the squealing." The boy nodded. "If we agree to resume our original identities, our families will be called and informed that we were in an automobile accident. However, that would require for you…to…" she gestured to her eyes nervously.

Robin sat and thought, analyzing the situation as Starfire waited. Finally, he closed his eyes and inhaled, "OK, I'll do it. But Starfire, I want to let you know right now that I'm not doing this just because I have to, I have actually wanted to show you who I really am for a long time." He slowly peeled away the fabric and Richard opened his eyes to the girl he loved, pleading she'd understand. They widened at what he saw.

Starfire was grinning, eyes gleaming cheekily, "I had wondered if you would ever inform me."

Richard's jaw fell. Starfire laughed.

"Y-you…knew?"

"Yes."

His blue eyes were steadily getting larger. "Since when?"

"The night you rescued me from the Red X."

His mind reeled from the amount of time, "How?"

"While you were using the facilities, our friends encouraged me to try to smear the pizza sauce onto your face without you knowing. I resisted at first, but they persisted, giving me the dares until I agreed. I was successful in wiping it on your mouth, and when you had become Robin and fought the Red X, you were still unaware of its presence. However, after I had awakened in my quarters, and saw the sauce on your face, I made four."

"Put two and two together Star," Richard automatically corrected, although the rest of him was in a daze.

Star wrinkled her nose, about to put in a comment that now was no time for English lessons when she realized he had only done it out of habit.

She stood up, "I'm sure you need to do the thinking, so I will inform Penelope of your decision while you ponder."

Richard barely heard her, too deep was he in thought to notice a tall black haired woman enter the room. The conversation she carried with Star was merely a mumble in his ears. He still didn't notice when a sharpie marker was shoved into his face, but finally came to his senses when it poked his nose ominously.

He yelped and went cross-eyed trying to look at the writing utensil before glancing up into amused almond shaped and almond colored eyes behind oval silver rimmed glasses. "Sign," commanded the owner of the eyes and shook the sharpie and clipboard she held impatiently.

Richard automatically grasped the proffered items and made to fill out forms or something, but then noticed that it was a blank piece of paper with writing already on it. A signature more specifically. _Flame's_ signature, in Starfire's elegant, flowy penmanship.

He scoffed in disbelief and looked up, "An autograph? _You _want my autograph?"

"Do you see a better opportunity to get one?"

Shaking his head lightly at the fact that his doctor was a fan, he signed his hero name with a flourish, before looking up and grinning cheekily, "Shall I get Batman's signature too, or should I just forge it for you?"

"You can do that? Cool!" Again, Richard wondered how in the world a fangirl had managed to impersonate a doctor and treat him. He started to shake his head harder at the odd images this produced, but was rudely cut off via a hand shoving him back onto the bed.

"OK Now that I got my payment," said Penelope, pocketing her prize and pulling out the bed Starfire had already gotten settled in, "I'll take you to your new rooms." An orderly entered the room on cue and wheeled Richard's own out the room, down the hall, and into an enormous elevator, leaving Star and Penelope to wait for the next one, much to Richard's despair. Said elevator already contained another doctor, a man holding a bouquet of pink roses with an "It's a Girl!" sign poking from it, and two women bearing an enormous stuffed bear and "Get well Soon!" balloons, whose eyes dilated enormously on seeing him.

Now Richard had had some embarrassing elevator rides in his life. A person like him, with a life like his, couldn't _not_ have them, at the risk of using such bad grammar. However, there is always one that takes precedence over all others, and that was when he had stopped The Joker from blowing up the Space Needle in Seattle and had run out of grappling hooks. So naturally, he had to use the elevator

Normally, this wouldn't have been all that bad, despite how many people were there at one of Washington's most famous landmarks at the time. It could've been comical really, seeing the superhero casually enter the moving box, push the button, and assume "the elevator stance" that every person has. Don't deny it, you know you have one too.

However, the trip from top to bottom of the enormous building had no chance of being the least bit funny, at least to Robin, and it was for one simple reason:

He had all but ripped his tunic to shreds when he nearly fell off said landmark. And had no other choice but to dispose of it.

That afternoon, Robin the Boy Wonder rode 76 stories down in a glass elevator amongst multiple thankful tourists, kids on field trips, and restaurant employees, sans shirt.

Now, that 43-second ride of stares from drooling fangirls, jealous boyfriends, thrilled moms, angry dads, worshipful little kids, and dutifully horrified teachers had absolutely _nothing_ on his current state. Richard Grayson was in a hospital elevator on a rolling bed, bandaged up in a backless dress…sitting on a bedpan.

_Richard Grayson_ was in a _hospital elevator _on a _rolling bed_, _bandaged up _in a _backless dress_… _sitting on a _**bedpan**.

He seriously considered asking the highly amused orderly to pull the sheets over his head and put a tag on his toe.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

The Tamaranian teenager had just settled down into the semi-private room when Richard was wheeled in, red-faced and angered, with black markings on his head bandages. A closer look revealed the writings to be "Get well Soon!" emblazoned across his forehead, as well as signatures from a "Sawyer" and a "Carrie." Also, what looked suspiciously like a phone number was jotted on the white wrappings, as well as a smiley face.

The man who was pushing the bed into the room looked ready to split his sides, but seemed to be biting his lip with a tremendous amount of force as he helped the patient (and by helped, I mean touched Richard's arm and got the evil eye) into his new bed.

Starfire was instantly hostile towards the "Sawyer and Carrie," wondering if writing on bandages was something she should have done first, if it meant having any specific claim on the boy. Penelope merely raised a brow

"Not. A. Word." Gritted the scandalized young man, not meeting any of their gazes.

Taking the hint, the two hospital employees exited in a haste, and the sounds of hysterical laughter came from behind the door, followed by a masculine voice wasting no time in telling Dr. Smith what had happened in the hospital lift.

The teenage male promptly reintroduced his face to both of his hands.

Starfire, wisely seeing that anything she could say would only make the situation worse, remained quiet, content to look about the room, if somewhat constant in her looks at the marked bandages.

"Do you hate me?" Star was caught off guard, first by the sudden break in silence and then by the question.

She stared at him in alarm, "Richard?"

"For not telling you," his hands fell and dark sapphire eyes were fixed onto hers, "I mean, I don't blame you if you do, I practically showed that I didn't trust you by not letting you know who I was, even after you showed me—"

She was out of her bed and in front of him before he could blink. Rapidly he scanned the room for any cameras and turned his attention back to the floating girl.

Who looked more serious in that moment than he had ever seen her. "Richard, do you realize that I informed you of my identity even after I had discovered yours?"

His eyes broadened at this information and nodded when he remembered it to be true.

"After that day, I observed you, saw how your knowing that I was royalty from another world didn't affect our friendship, or the way you treated me at all. If anything, you showed even greater respect and possibly admiration for me, whether for my position or my powers, it does not matter.

"I also noticed how hard you tried; to keep Robin separate from Richard, to make me believe that you were not a hero, and that you didn't know who I was. You made exceptions and ways to get out, you drew attention away or overlooked the times when I forgot and did the slipping up.

"You spent do much time and effort to protect me, from the world, from your father, from my sister, and from yourself. Richard, you know more than anyone else does in this universe that I do not all of that protection. Maybe some, but not all. Yet you did, and I will be forever grateful for your unselfishness."

Richard was past words by that point, but nodded dazedly.

"So, you wish to know how your keeping secrets from me until now has effected my outlook of yourself?"

"Y-Yes," he croaked.

"I can say with most honesty that I still love you, and can say with some certainty that I will continue to do so."

He looked gobsmacked for a second. Then his crooked signature grin lit up his face. "Same here."

In that moment, nothing spectacular happened. No banners waved, no cheers erupted, no choirs started belting out "Hallelujah." Even though they by all rights should have really. It was simply two people admitting the most simple of all things to admit. The outside world kept going.

But in Room 418 of Jump City Memorial Hospital, the small world created a few short months ago was changed forever. And the two people existing in that world celebrated this change in the best way they knew in that moment.

They shared long, agonizingly divine kiss after long, agonizingly divine kiss until they were breathless.

And all was right in their world.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

"Yeah, yeah, OK, we'll get there as soon as possible, but they're alright, right? OK Bruce, bye." Vic snapped his phone shut and exhaled sharply, _Thank God._

"Guys, Richard and Star were in a car wreck and are at the hospital."

A loud chorus of WHAT's resounded throughout the room, followed by demands for an explanation. Vic tried to tell them that it wasn't important at the time, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

"QUIET!" shouted Raven, glaring menacingly at the teens in the room. "None of that matters right now; what does is our need to get to the hospital and see if our friends are OK." No one dared to defy her.

"Then what're we waiting for?" asked Alan, "Let's go!" Everyone made tracks for the door, still arguing, but now about what they should bring to the invalids.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Starfire pulled back, eyes half-lidded in a dreamy haze as she licked her lips, slowly savoring the taste left on them. Richard, of course, was immediately captivated by this action and captured her lips once more in a fervor until the joy literally pulled their lips apart. The Tamaranian giggled and descended back to her boyfriend's lap.

She ran her fingers over his cheek, nose, chin, lips, giggling when he placed tiny kisses on them. But her hand stopped at his forehead, and a frown graced her features.

Instantly worried, he asked what was wrong, but chuckled when she explained her distress about the head binding. Spotting a roll of bandages, Starfire set to work, unwinding the marred cloth, gently examining the wound before kissing it, earning a laugh, and then rewrapping the injury. After these events, the tender Starfire was gone, and the jealous one threw the old bandage into the trash vehemently.

Richard smirked, eyebrow raised dashingly, "Better?"

A light blush tinted her cheeks, "Almost," she said and raised a pen that she had spied on the clipboard at the end of Richard's bed, "Now _I_ shall sign your bandage." She moved to do just that, but his large hand closed gently over her wrist.

"Uh, Maybe signing my head isn't the way to go," he said hesitantly.

She stilled, then nodded reluctantly, before brightening as an idea struck her, "I know!" she grabbed the collar of Richard's hospital gown and yanked it lower.

He squawked in shock, "Starfire?"

But he needn't have worried, she was merely signing his chest wrappings. Satisfied with her work, she pulled back and he looked down, where her flowing, loopy writing spelled her name, and he noted with some amusement that she had dotted her eye with a heart, and that the signature itself was in fact over his own heart.

He ran a hand through her hair adoringly, "C'mere you." What started out as a gentle kiss rapidly turned heated.

"AGH!! MY EYES, MY EYES!!"

The couple broke apart to see that their friends had arrived, and one was currently convulsing on the floor, clutching at his face comically. A swift booted kick from his girlfriend compelled him to stop and pick himself up from the floor.

Where all attention instantly turned back to the busted couple. All was quiet for a few moments as the situation was evaluated.

One Starfire Anders, covered in bandages adorned in a backless dress was currently seated in the lap of one Richard Grayson, equally bandaged and backless dressed, one arm securely looped around the girl's back, one hand somewhat taking advantageof the..._benefits _the lack of material held out, the other was tangled in her hair. Both possessed swollen lips and incriminating "Oh _crap_!" expressions.

And this was the scene situated in front of the Titans, Alfred, Bruce, and Galfore. The first two listed all looked amused and elated, Bruce annoyed and embarrassed, and Galfore looked murderous.

But trust Starfire to break the ice, "Greetings friends," she chimed, removing one hand from Richard's silky locks and waving it weakly.

Everyone save Galfore burst into laughter, and the look the _K'norfka _sent to the busted teen had Richard having a whole new appreciation for the bedpan he was seated on.

Things were about to get a whole lot uglier.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Oh man, you just seem to constantly face certain death don'tcha Richy?**

**So, they are FINALLY together, everybody now knows it, Galfore is ticked, Richard is terrified, and the owner of the mysterious hidden camera is finally revealed! And I also fulfilled my promise of putting samuraigurl1213 into my story!**

**This was a good chappie.**

**And do you know what would make it better? A review!!**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**

**PS: Kudos to the person who figures out what this chapter's title meant.**


	17. Death By K'norfka

**Me: Uh…hey, sorry about leaving you like that then not updating for so lon_GAH NOT THE FACE!! _****(is mobbed by angry readers)**

**Me: BLAME THE PLOT BUNNY! SHE DESERTED ME!!**

**Angry Readers: (Turn angrily to PB)**

**PB: (sweatdrops) Uhh, hi.**

**AR: GET HER!! (Begins chasing the now fleeing Plot Bunny)**

**Me: (Grins and sits back in chair) They bought it. **

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**BB: (in T-rex form) ROWARRRR! (Begins charging)**

**Me: Apparently my readers aren't the only ones mad about my super late update. (Reaches behind a box and pulls out a big bazooka-like gun and fires)**

**BB: (opens mouth wide and chomps down on projectile, before freezing, eyes dilated)**

**Me: Oh? What's this? A bazooka that shoots tofu missiles? Covered in barbecue sauce?**

**BB: (swallows and opens mouth, looking happy)**

**Me: You want more?**

**BB: (Makes the equivalent of dinosaur purring and wags tail in anticipation) Uh-huh!**

**Me: (fires again and watches BB chase after the missile, then blows smoke from barrel) I love this thing. **

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Death by K'norfka Chp 17**

The huge Tamaranian turned to the group of people behind him, "Would you please leave for a moment? I need to speak to the boy."

"Uh," objected Wally nervously, "Maybe we should stay here? So there will be witnesses?"

Galfore glared and growled menacingly.

Wally paled instantly, "Right then, lets go guys! Hope you don't die Richie!" He wasted no time in shoving everyone from the room, leaving a blushing girl, a terrified boy, and one severely pissed off _K'norfka_.

The door closed with a resounding _click_.

"_TORGLORF_!" shouted Galfore as he charged for the terrified Richard, whose eyes were darting to all corners of the room, judging where the best escape route might be.

As he began to leap from his bed, however, a frantic, frustrated shriek sliced through the air, followed by two green bolts. The enormous nanny/bodyguard was thrown across the room from the impact.

Since they weren't too powerful, Galfore regained his balance quickly. But now he was staring fearfully at his little _bumgorf _hovering before him, hands alight with a vibrant green glow, eyes protective and pleading.

"_What did they do to you Starfire?"_ Galfore whispered, a dreadful horror causing him to slip into his native tongue.

Starfire alighted on the floor and began explaining, her lit hands winking out.

Meanwhile, Richard, who was halfway out of his bed, crawled back beneath his covers, cursing the cold hospital and wishing he knew Tamaranian.

Still, years of observance allowed him to read inflections and tones with ease, not to mention facial expressions. Starfire seemed to be keeping herself carefully emotionless as she told her tale, and Galfore looked and sounded both enraged and heartbroken.

Then all was silent.

Slowly, Starfire reached out to her _K'norfka_, and whispered something, a terror worming its way across her pretty features. Shock filled his face instantly, and Galfore was responding with something brisk and reassuring. Then, to both Richard and Star's surprise, the enormous man sank to one knee and bowed his head, rumbling something that even to the human in the room, sounded utterly humble.

He was nearly bowled over by his happily weeping _bumgorf's_ glomp.

As Richard watched this touching scene, he wondered if he had wandered into a Kodak commercial. _Raven would _so_ hurl if she saw this._

But his calm (and mild nausea) evaporated when a large green eye opened and, despite its obvious blindness, seemed to focus on Richard.

Galfore shot up, the previous moment gone without a trace, pointed a thick finger at Richard, then roared something to Star that Richard didn't even have to know Tamaranian to know that Galfore was demanding exactly _what_ they had been doing when he had first entered.

Hesitantly, Starfire began to respond, and Galfore swelled up like an irate cat.

Seeing this, Richard began to draft his will. _Hmm, lets see. Gar can have my Gamestation, Terra...I think I'll give her money for a lifetime supply of pet rocks, Vic can definitely have my laptop, the calligraphy set that one ditz Bruce dated gave me will go to Rachel. Alan...Alan...What do I give him? Eh, just donate a few grand to Greenpeace and he'll be happy. Bee will definitely get my wardrobe and shoes, seeing as how she constantly steals my clothes and redesigns them anyway _(He briefly wondered for the millionth time how she did that, and why she seemed to like his clothes, as well as expressed mental disbelief that she wore pretty much the same size as he)_. What else…Oh, I'll leave Jen my R-Cycle; she's had her eye on it for a while, and_ _Wally…Wally will have my toothbrush…Jerk. _

Meanwhile, Star was busy preventing the terms of the above will to be carried out. She preferred Richard alive, thank you.

Which she made evident by the increasing vehemence in which she defended her (unofficial) boyfriend.

Finally, Star said, or more accurately, shouted, something at Galfore, and all was silent yet again.

Richard watched the mountain-like Tamaranian slowly, slowly turn his head, and his gaze locked onto the human sitting on the bedpan.

On a madness meter, on a scale from one to ten, with one being "Mild Tremor" and ten being "Raging Tsunami", Galfore's current expression would be rated as a fifteen: "Erupting Volcano of DOOM."

"You are romantically involved with my _bumgorf_?" demanded the _K'norfka _in a dangerously soft voice

Richard clenched his teeth to keep himself from squeaking aloud.

Then he thought of all he had been through, and a wave of irritation hit him. He had waited for Starfire for _X'hal_ knew how long, and he had faced Bruce, Slade, Blackfire, and his own fear, fighting for the girl he loved.

_No one _was going to take her away, not even this ridiculously colossal nanny.

And with that, Richard's demeanor changed. His chin lifted, shoulders straightened, and his blue eyes met green ones fearlessly. "With your permission sir, I would like to be."

"Why?" the question was spat and laced with suspicion.

"Because I love her," he shot back, "everything about her I don't care about status, or money, or power; you know well that I already have that and it means nothing to me. Starfire is a wonderful, intelligent, fierce warrior; whose persona is just as beautiful as she looks.

"I like who I am when I'm around her, and I don't want her to be taken away from me again. And if you're worried about whether I am worthy of her or not…with all due respect sir, I believe I have already proven my devotion."

Galfore looked stunned for a moment. This little human had stood up to him. He, Galfore, who was intergalactically known for his warrior prowess, had been faced fearlessly and head on by a human boy in a strange backless dress who hardly reached his shoulder.

And meeting said boy's determined blue gaze, a frown crossed Galfore's face. And Richard immediately relaxed when he saw it. It was the same frown all fathers bore when they finally realized that their little girls were starting to do not-so-little girl things, like flying, saving the world from evil, shooting green energy from their hands, and dating young men who managed to look hawt in green tights.

That she was growing up, and they would have to see it.

Not that they're happy about it. Or will admit is for no more and no less than 5-10 months.

"Very well," the words seemed to have been ripped from the man. "But if you EVER harm her or make her cry..."

"You can kick my sorry hide across the universe and then let some weird slug monster eat me," Richard promised calmly, blinking somewhat at the odd but vivid image he had of this scenario. _Eww, what if I got stuck in the slime?_

Galfore's voice broke his musings before they took root, "In that case, I will go to speak with Richard's _K'norfka_. I believe he owes me some currency." He thumped the side of his right fist against his chest. "_X'hal_," he thundered and was gone.

Richard's frustrated and humiliated scream was buried into his pillow. _I'm surrounded by obsessive compulsive gamblers. _

Star's giggle drifted through the room, followed by a soft hand tapping his shoulder. Tired blue eyes met hers, "Yeah?"

"Did you truly mean that?"

He smiled, "Well yeah, I didn't save you because you laugh at my really bad puns." Star giggled again, and her eyes shone. He reached up, still smiling, and lightly traced her features, until his hand rested on her cheek and drew her forward. Star's eyes drifted shut, and he felt his own closing…when a new sound reached his ears.

He grew rigid, his half-lidded eyes flew open, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Star heard it too, and fresh horror broke on her face.

The sound drew closer, and Richard's breath grew ragged with foreboding. This was a sound that was feared more than the bellows of Galfore, the sinister laughter of Slade, even the tears of Batman. A cry that scared him beyond all reason and chilled him to the bone.

It was right outside their door.

"RICHIE-POO, I'M COMING FOR YOU!!"

"_Crap!_"

There were sounds of struggle emanating from the hall, but Richard knew from experience, nothing could stop Kitten from getting to her Richie-Poo.

The doorknob began to turn, and the noise of combat grew louder as the Titans fought to keep the blonde nightmare away, with Kitten screeching in protest.

Another, louder screech, drew Richard's attention.

Starfire's teeth were gnashing together, her faced was twisted, her eyes literally glowed with furry, the metal bedside table had her fist embedded in it, and it was crumpled beneath her wrath.

The door opened, and Richard did the first thing that came to mind.

Kitten Moth entered the room, and found Richard Grayson, fast asleep on his bed…_with Starfire Anders sleeping beside him_.

Blue eyes took in the proximity of the couple, the muscular arm draped over slender shoulders, the red head nuzzled to the toned chest, an orange hand resting directly over where the heart would be.

She took all of this in…

And screamed.

"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

Needless to say, this woke them up.

Richard rubbed bleary eyes before he focused on the blonde. He gasped in shock, "Kitten! Th-this isn't what-"

"Save it Dick!" her tone, as well as the fact that she had called him _Dick_, shut him up, "I have been with you for a long time, and I have given you _everything_, and _this_ is how you repay me!"

"Kitten listen-"

"No, YOU listen! We're OVER!" she whirled around on the heel of her pink Sketchers.

"Look, I'm sure you'll find someone _way_ better-"

Kitten stopped and looked over her shoulder with a sneer, "Well _duh _Dick! Of _course_ I'm gonna find somebody! But when _you_ realize how stupid you've been, do _not_ come crying to me!" With that, she stalked from the room, past the Titans, past Bruce and Galfore, past doctors, nurses and orderlies, and past security to the elevators, where she stabbed a perfectly manicured nail into the Down button.

"You OK?"

Kitten spun around, ready to tell whoever where they could go, when she took in their appearance. Tall, muscular, tanned, thick somewhat long and oily mouse brown hair, and oddly beady black eyes. He wore a simple ensemble of a black jacket, white T-shirt, blue jeans, and steel toed boots.

And he smiled as he looked her up and down.

Kitten found herself smiling back, "I am now."

The smile grew into a grin, "Glad to hear it, I was worried you were gonna have a heart attack, though this is the best place to have one."

She laughed like it was the funniest thing she heard and fluttered her eyelashes, "I'm Kitten."

"Fang."

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Meanwhile, Richard, Star, the Titans, Bruce, Galfore, Hospital Personnel, and Security Guards stayed motionless for a long time, stunned in Kitten's wake.

And completely oblivious to what had transpired, Penelope approached. Slowing down and stopping as she noticed all their gazes aimed at her, she turned, looked behind her, and finding no one, she turned back, feeling self conscious.

"Uh, hi?" she half-asked, looking from one to the other, then focusing on Bruce (or Batman, she thought with a mental "eep"). "I'm sorry to say, Mr. Wayne, but visiting hours are almost over."

Recovering, Bruce nodded and turned to the Titans, "You heard her; say your good byes, and then lets go." The teenagers wasted no time in following orders, ordering the patients to get better and bidding them good bye (as well as congratulate them on getting rid of Kitten) before exiting quickly, calling out promises of more visits and getting missed school work.

Raven and Victor were the last to leave, and the dark girl fixed Richard with a somewhat softened glare. "You and I are going to talk when you get home, _Robin_." Then she patted Star on the shoulder, and glided from the room.

Richard's jaw fell into his lap, and he turned to Vic, who raised his hands, a nervous laugh escaping him. "Sweet dreams," was the weak offer, and then all that was left was a cloud of dust and a closed door.

He fell back to his bed with a sigh, and Starfire wasted no time in snuggling up to him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest. He in turn pulled her closer and trailed a hand through her rich red locks as his mind started shutting down, putting off contemplation of the day's events for another time.

"Do you want to get to your own bed Star?" he mumbled, hoping she didn't.

"No," she replied, hugging him tighter, "What happened today as well as the post-arithmetic has left me very exhausted."

Richard was confused for a moment, then he grinned, "Aftermath Star."

She "hmm"ed noncommittally, "What the ever. Good night Richard."

He kissed the top of her head, "Night Star." He paused. "I love you."

The tired alien raised her head and kissed him, then broke away to yawn. "I love you too Richard," she mumbled and was out before her head fully rested on his chest.

Richard smiled, turned out the lights from the remote hooked to his bed, and followed suit.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**Oh man, I am so disgusted with myself. Its taken me all this time to write THAT? What the heck?! **

**The next one will be better, I PROMISE. And congrats to Sizzlin'-Starry-Night-Sky for being the ONLY person to get "Post-Arithmetic" C'MON guys, think about it! Post-Arithmetic means Aftermath!**

**L8r **

**SAT :)**


	18. Cornered Birds and Unclipped Wings

**Me: HAHA! I TOLD you I'd update sooner!**

**Readers: YAAAAY!**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Disclaimer: Me: (Is typin away at the computer)**

**Raven: (Poking her head in) Hey Skyler? Where's our slave—I mean, Beast Boy?**

**Me: (points to my left without looking up)**

**Beast Boy: (Is still in T-rex form, but is now lying on his back all splayed out, belly bulging as he snores contentedly)**

**Raven: (eyes opened wide) He's supposed to be **_**serving**_** us. What happened to him?**

**Me: (kicks tofu bazooka further under my desk as I continue typing) Beats me.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Cornered Birds and Unclipped Wings Chp 18**

_He was pretty sure he was dreaming. It certainly felt like he was. It was a strange dream, however. There was no sight or sound in the dream, only touch and sensation. _

_Juniper washed faintly over him. And smell._

_There was a soft tugging at his head, then something hard and…cold. He shied away from it, but it was gone quickly, as was the tugging._

_Another touch to his head, this one soft but firm. It was also cold, but it was a nice kind of cold. It felt nice and soothing against the parts of his skull that seemed, oddly, hotter than the rest of his skin. _

_And far more tender, he realized as the touch pressed too hard and a spike of pain shot though him. But the pain was gone in less than an instant as the touch receded, then gently rubbed the area around the wound on his temple. Strands of something silky tickled his cheek, and Juniper filled his senses again._

_A new touch, this one liquid, as well as a new temperature, nice and warm. And a new sensation, tingly, soothing, warming…_

…_Itching, slicing, burning…searing. _**PAIN**

"YEEOW!!"

_He would've continued yelling, as the pain showed no letup, but then there was a weight slamming over his mouth and nose. _

_Sound was now granted him in his dreamy state, and a low voice hissed, "Shh! You'll wake up Starfire, pinhead." The scent of Juniper was all around him now._

_Wait…who do I know that smells like Juniper? _Richard's blue eyes fluttered open.

To see Raven's purple eyes glaring back at him.

Her mouth pursed into a disdainful frown, tinged with disgust, "By Azar, Richard, I know that stuff _stings,_ but I didn't expect you to squall like a baby!"

He squinched his eyes shut as the past few days' events were remembered, then his chin went up, his nose turned up, and he made his reply.

"As an invalid, I believe I am entitled," he said haughtily.

Raven let loose an unladylike snort, "Not for long. Lean forward."

He didn't budge. "Why?"

"I've treated your temple, I need to do your nape now."

Richard was starting to feel suspicious, "What do you mean 'treated'?"

Raven held up a small corked bottle of liquid, opaque and misty as it swirled within its container. It was about three-quarters full.

"You're going to pour that stuff on me _again_!?"

A soft pop as the cork released was his answer.

"Can't you just let me suffer and heal the regular way?"

"Richard, you know me better than that."

Indeed he did; Raven's utter inability to allow anyone she was close to be in pain was the one quality that both irritated and endeared him. He pinched the bridge of his nose and glanced at the clock. To have his hand fall and eyes open wide.

The little hand was on the 6, and the big hand was on the 7.

"Visiting hours don't start 'til 12:00! How did you get _in_ here?"

A dark eyebrow raised over a dubious purple eye, "Did you get a touch of amnesia with that head injury Richard? This is _me_ we're talking about."

Blue eyes went into a roll, part in annoyance at his friend's flippancy, part in disgust at his own stupidity. Of _course_ Raven had managed to get past security and into their room; Raven could get into any place she wanted to undetected. She could even get into a locked room (which, as a matter of fact, had been the state of the door).

It was a somewhat—OK _very­_—creepy characteristic of the petite Goth girl, but what irritated Richard the most was that she would never tell him how she did it.

He huffed and leaned forward. To feel something weighing him down.

It was Starfire obviously, slumbering undisturbed on his shoulder, one arm curled around his chest. His previous blinding ecstasy at finding the love of his life among the living was gone, though, and Richard's eyes now widened immeasurably as he took real account of her injuries for the first time.

He started with the head. A section of her wonderful hair had been shaved away, revealing a streak of stitches along her scalp. Her face was thin and gaunt, with dark shadows smudged beneath her eyes. Her lips were cracked and scabbing, with one horizontal red line showing where she had bitten through.

The neckline of her hospital gown was low enough to show part of where the bullet struck her. That section of her soft skin was of a shiny black hue, with red shadowing the edges. He shuddered at the thought of what it would have looked like had the bullet pierced her.

Her skin was very dry, though lotion had been applied and was looking a bit better; her wrists and forearms had circular cuts adorning them, and were chaffed with a distinctly red look. He imagined her ankles looked very much the same.

Then there were the burns.

Long. Short. Wide. Thin. Deep. Minor. Dry. Oozing. Burns of all shapes and sizes littered the Tamaranian girl's body. And since burns heal best when exposed to air, the less intense wounds were revealed for the world to see.

Starfire had achieved something that most people hadn't thought possible. She looked _bad_.

Richard raised tormented eyes to Raven, "_Please_ tell me you have something for her."

His friend held up a leather pouch, filled to the brim with her remedies, "Of course Richard, but I need to fix you first, she needs to sleep for now."

With that said, Richard summoned all his willpower to disentangle himself from his girlfriend, and receive his "treatment."

After the foul painful liquid had been poured onto all major injuries, he had to chew and swallow some tangy bittersweet herbs that helped broken bones to mend faster, as well as boost the immune system. By the time the taste left his mouth, he realized that his cuts and bruises looked and felt noticeably better.

Then came Starfire's turn. Which Raven booted him to his side of the room and drew the curtain for, saying she didn't _care_ that he loved her and they were going out, the healing of Starfire's wounds was going to reveal more skin than Richard had any right to see. Especially under the circumstances, as well as what point the teens' relationship was at.

So he was forced to sit and twiddle his thumbs, that is until his eyes fell on a piece of hospital stationary and a black pen resting on the bedside table. Knowing that he would have to do it eventually, and that now was the perfect time, he drew out his plans on the white paper, listening all the while to the soft drones of Raven and the lilting murmurs of Starfire.

At one point, his ears perked up…

_"I never knew you were so skilled in healing Raven, why did you never tell me?"_

"_My family knows a lot about natural medicine, but don't mention this to anyone. This stuff isn't exactly FDA approved."_

…Richard grimaced at the half-truth Raven had told; only he and Vic knew the whole story, and that was only because they were both constantly getting hurt, Vic from football, Richard from hero-ing, though it was only now that Raven knew this.

It was true that her family had known about natural medicine; many of her ancestors had learned from Indians, as well as from personal trial and error, what herbs or plants could be used for a variety of ailments. They were not witches or wizards though, they simply had figured out what worked.

Unfortunately, several people hadn't or wouldn't believe this, and some of her ancestors had very nearly gotten their toes toasted, if you catch the drift.

Needless to say, it was incentive to keep ones mouth shut.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

An eon later, Raven pulled back the curtain at last. And Richard was rushing past her before she had pulled it all the way.

Starfire looked visibly better, and each of her burns were covered in a greasy yellowish balm, one Richard knew from experience was a miraculous cure-all, reduced the chance of scarring to nonexistence, stung like hell when applied, and tasted like the moss on a river rock.

"Hey Star, how're you feeling?"

Starfire slowly turned her head to her boyfriend. There was a strange glazed look in her green eyes, and Richard got the feeling that something was up.

Her next words confirmed his suspicions.

"Are you a hotdog?"

Richard was too nonplussed to do anything but answer the question. "No…?"

She nodded thoughtfully, her mouth hanging slightly open. "Do you know what they put in a hotdog?"

"Meat?"

The Tamaranian giggled, "Well _duh_ Richie-poo!"

Well _that_ freaked him out.

"But do you know _eg-zac-ly_ what they put in hot-dogs?"

He wondered if he should call the nurse, "No?"

"I do," her eyes glazed even more in memory, "A pret-ty glowing box told me. It was a d-do…a docu…" her small eyebrows furrowed as she struggled with the word.

"A documentary?" Richard half-asked.

She was abruptly more gleeful than she normally was, "YES! That! Thank you!"

Richard sweat dropped as he tried to locate the "Call Nurse" button, "Uh, don't mention it."

"Okay, I will not. But I saw what they put in those hotdogs Richard. I never knew humans ate so many pigs! Or insects!"

Richard stopped, bile rising to his throat, tasting of every hotdog he had ever eaten.

_EWWW! I will NEVER eat a hotdog again!_

_Richard! _his other half snapped, _That's not important!_

_Not important?! Finding out the contents of what we've eaten for YEARS are not important? You can't EVEN tell me that didn't gross you out even a LITTLE bit._

_Yes, I admit I'm disgusted too, but we need to focus on our _girlfriend.

_Oh, Star, right._

He snapped back to said girlfriend, who was staring at the ceiling, happily counting the ceiling tile dots, "Starfire, what's wrong? Are you OK?"

Her head fell forward, a disturbing, wide-open smile on her face. "I'm Gumby," she announced proudly. Her arm lifted to point at Raven, "That's Pokey." Her finger swung to Richard, "And you are a Blockhead."

Raven burst into laughter.

The teen whirled on his friend, looking outraged. "Raven! That's _not_ funny!"

"You're right!" she gasped, "its not funny; its completely true!" She doubled over again, laughing harder than she ever had in her life.

"Cut it out Raven! Something's the matter with Starfire!" He turned back to his girlfriend…

…and nearly toppled over as a result. For the alien princess was sound asleep, snoring softly as she hung halfway off the bed.

"Raven, what did you _do_ to her!?"

"I-I slipped a sedative into the her-herbs I gave her," she explained between gasps. "S-sometimes their hallu-hallucinogenic." She howled with laughter once more, "You should've seen your face Richard!"

The sound of something breaking—something metallic—cut off her laughter.

And they were just in time to watch Starfire grab the metal handrail of her bed, break it off, and mold it into something worth cuddling to with the effort it took to fold a sock.

Four things happened with Richard then. Firstly, he was jealous that _he_ wasn't the metal rail she was hugging. On second thought, he retracted with a cringe, maybe it _was_ a good idea that he hadn't been in the railings place. Thirdly, Robin mentally groaned as he added the bed to the list of damaged things in the hospital room.

And fourthly…he remembered that he was not _alone_ in the hospital room.

Richard honestly couldn't remember a time when Raven's eyes were so big.

And for once, Richard and his hero side thought the same thing in unison: _Oh crap_.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

"I will do unspeakable things to you for not telling me."

It took all of his hero training not to put the bedpan to good use as he squirmed under her dark gaze.

"Raven," he knew he had to word this carefully or his pathetic existence would come to an abrupt end, "it was bad enough forcing _one_ friend to live with lies for my sake; I couldn't have stood two."

"Cut the sap-crap Richard, I'm going to have _one_ friend force me to live with it, I wont be able to stand two."

Richard grinned. The Angel of Dry Humor comes to his aid once more.

"Don't smile just yet, I'm still going to do terrible things to you." She was suddenly grinning herself, "And I already have."

A sudden onslaught of terror-induced nausea wasn't unexpected as Batman's sidekick instantly analyzed the past few hours as he wondered what she could've possibly done. He was abruptly covered in cold sweat.

"Azar, don't look so scared Richard, its just your hair."

She may as well have said his…you know, his head snapped up so fast.

"What?"

She was smirking again, and he could feel the sweat trickle down his ribs, "Lets just say I hope you aren't too attached to your hair…" she trailed off. "And soon, you wont be," she finished, chuckling at the unintentional pun she had stated.

Richard failed to see the humor, "_What?!_"

Her expression was one of pure smugness, "Well, its possible that one of the herbs I gave you helps strengthen your immune system, but has chronic hair loss as a side effect."

Richard fainted.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Well, not really _fainted_, but his eyes did roll back into his head, and its possible that he would've gone all the way…

Had Raven not slapped the sense back into him.

To have it leave promptly. "I can't believe you did that to me!" he all but wailed, clutching his ink black locks, mourning them before they had even left his scalp.

Raven looked entirely satisfied, "And that…was Terrible Thing Number One."

It was like watching emotions do tap-dance across his face. He wanted to yell at her, he wanted to sob in relief, he wanted to strangle her, he wanted to _laugh_ at the awesome fakeout she pulled that was so incredibly _Raven_.

He settled for staring at her in shock, eyes stretched so wide it looked painful.

Until the sting in his cheek—aggravated by how far his jaw was hanging—brought him back.

He rubbed his now red face, "Do you hit muggers with that hand?"

The meaning was clear, if not in his word then in his blue eyes: _Let us never speak of this again._

And Raven, satisfied that enough torment on her friend had been doled out that day, decided to humor him. "Yes, though I kick more often. Like the other day, this idiot pulled me into an alley. He was _huge_ too, looked strangely like a gorilla, and I gave him a bruising for the ages. He looked so shocked, but the best part, was when he opened his mouth. He said, are you ready for this? _'Sacre bleu'._ He was _French_, and I—"

She was cut off by an outraged, "You were _mugged_?"

The thousand other questions behind that obvious one was all to clear to Raven. She adopted a look of exhausted patience.

"Yes I was Richard, and its something that happens to females in this city. But unlike other females, I _can_ handle the situation when it arises. If not with my skills, then with this." She pulled a black spray bottle that was familiar to Richard.

So familiar in fact, that he cringed away on catching sight of it. It was Raven's patented "Anti-Creep Spray" and it stung ten times worse than mace ever _thought_ about hurting.

"Fine," he conceded huffily, relaxing as she put it away, "But I'm gonna teach you some self defense once I get back."

"Deal," agreed Raven immediately, pleased that knowing Richard's secret would have some benefits

They fell into silence, something that was a common occurrence for the two, and it was comfortable for that reason. So they sat there for a while, lost in thought, Starfire's soft snoring as well as their own breaths the only things heard.

"Can you do me a favor?" the question was sudden, but Raven wasn't startled.

"Depends."

Richard reached under his pillow and pulled out the paper he had found earlier, now colored and ridged with the black strokes of the pen. "I need you to go to the manor and give this to Alfred."

Raven took it and looked it over without permission, not that she would've asked, or Richard would've said no even if she had.

Her eyebrow lifted in speculation, and she glanced back up at her friend. "What is this?"

Richard got a sudden grin, "My future," he said proudly.

Both eyebrows were lifted now, and she exchanged rapid looks between the drawing and its creator. She finally nodded, "It fits you."

He scoffed, "Well I should hope that I know my own size by now Raven!" He grinned in the face of her glare.

Raven held her scowl for a few more moments, before she looked back at the paper. And had a crazy question leave her lips before she could stop it.

"Can I have your old one?"

Richard was positive he had misheard Raven. _Am I dreaming? There is no _way_ she just asked for—_

_Wait…look at her face… Is she, _blushing

_No way, she _is.

_Wow, she's serious…she really _does_ want my old costume._

_I did _not_ see that coming._

_Neither did I. I wonder why?_

_Why don't you _ask_, El Genius? _

…_Well that wasn't a random nickname._

_Like it? I know I do._

_You would, but why'd you give it to me?_

_I figured I'd just return the favor, seeing as how you've given me a new name._

_I had to! But that doesn't excuse you getting a much cooler name than mine!_

_Sucks to be you._

_You _are_ me, Senor Idiot!_

…_I'll come up with a response to that later. Right now, ask Raven the dang question._

_This isn't over._

_It never is...El Genius._

"Why?" Richard asked, wondering if other heroes went through the same psychosis that was his mind.

Raven, oblivious to her friends growing lunacy, only turned a more interesting shade of red, "Not really sure, I just always thought the mask was…cool."

Richard first bit his cheek to stop his grin, then nodded, knowing that words would only further his friend's embarrassment.

Raven nodded back and got up, gathering her things silently as she made to leave the room.

But she stopped at the door. "Have you come up with a name?"

This time when he nodded, he let his smirk show.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

Two dollars and eighty-nine cents. That was it. The man couldn't believe it. He had just stood in the cold, in the less than inviting alley, waiting for someone to walk by. When someone had, a jittery looking woman wearing a nice jean jacket who obviously wasn't used to this side of town, he had pulled her into the darkness, where she let out a small squeak on sight of his knife, before fainting. He had actually felt sorry for her.

So, he had waited, _again_, for someone to walk by, and after just enough time for his fingers to go numb, someone finally came, this time it was a man. Knowing the face of a honest guy when he saw one, the mugger threw a couple rocks to get his attention, then hightailed it out of there, with the woman's wallet in tow.

And it wasn't until _now,_ that he had had the presence of mind to actually _look_ through it.

He had waited. For two dollars and eighty-nine cents.

He had risked getting maced or tazered. For two dollars and eighty-nine cents.

He had nearly given a woman a heart attack. For two dollars and eighty-nine cents.

He had waited with a guilty conscience. For two dollars and eighty-nine cents.

He had cold fingers with the circulation painfully coming back. For two dollars and eighty-nine cents.

He had just mugged someone. For two dollars and eighty-nine cents

So, when a familiarly shaped piece of metal knocked the wallet out of his hand (until then, he had been looking at her dry cleaning bill with interest) and a cold stare bored into his spine, he nearly burst into laughter.

He was about to get his rear-end handed to him. For _two dollars and eighty-nine cents._

And suddenly, he decided he wanted his imminent butt kicking to have more of a reason than two dollars and eighty-nine cents. Which was why he picked up the bird-a-rang and threw it at the figure mostly concealed in shadow.

Needless to say, it was dodged, and he rushed forward, throwing a couple of effortlessly evaded punches, and got a steel-toed boot in the stomach for his trouble. Landing unceremoniously on his back, he rolled over, got to his feet, and took two steps before two green lights entered his vision, and the ground exploded before him. The impact sent him into the wall, and pinned by four more bird-a-rangs before he could sink to the ground.

He grinned, satisfied that he was now gonna go to jail for a _real_ reason.

"Haven't lost yer touch, eh Robin?" Like all the other criminals in Jump City, he had known that the Boy Wonder and his superpowered girlfriend had been noticeably absent from their hero duties.

The alley was swathed with green light, and there was a pause. He glanced down at the curved metal weapons imprisoning him. Then paused himself. The bird-a-rangs looked different.

"No."

They were a different shape.

"I'm not Robin anymore."

And they were black.

The figure stepped into the green light, courtesy of Flame, who looked hot as ever, but much more terrifying with her hands enveloped in green bolts. He gulped at the smoking crater a few feet away. _That_ was a new power.

And then he took in the sight of Robin, all grown up. Dressed in a one piece black body suit with a gray belt, gray gloves, a new mask, a blue insignia of a bird on his chest, and a long bo staff in his hands, Robin looked much more foreboding. Deadlier too.

"Call me…Nightwing."

He wondered if he should take a page from that lady and just pass out. This _so_ wasn't worth two dollars and eighty-nine cents.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT **

**I'm less than crazy about this chapter. But I suppose it's decent, and I've been DYING to whip out Nightwing. HE is who I'm crazy about! (drools)**

**OK guys, I'm about to have a serious moment (puts serious hat on) I saw a video on Youtube the other day that FREAKED ME OUT. It was like an epiphany and a horror film all in one. And I recommend you go see it. NOW. It's on my profile, In My Hyperlinks, listed under "The Most Terrifying Video You Will Ever Watch." **

**It's something I advise EVERYONE to see, and I encourage you to copy it onto yer profile and mention it in yer own stories.**

**This concerns ALL of us.**

**OK, serious moment over (pulls serious hat from head, and has hair go in several directions because of it). STUPID serious hat!**

**Review!**

**L8r**

**SAT:)**


	19. Knowledge is Power, And So Are Pictures

**Angry Readers: (catch sight of me) YOU!**

**Me: (backing slowly away) OK, I know. This has got to be the most delayed update in recent history, and I would like to apologize.**

**Angry Reader Leader: Accepted. NOW LETS GET HER!!**

**Me: WAIT!! THIS IS ALMOST THE LAST CHAPTER!! **

**Angry Readers: (Stops and go slack-jawed)**

**Me: Yeah, we're right at the end people. So you CAN'T kill me now! No reason to!**

**Angry Leader Reader: But you STILL took forever to update! And you didn't even post a Oneshot to tide us over! And then there's the matter of revenge for all those cliffhangers and fake-outs! And finally: we have taken all this time and effort to organize an angry mob against a No-Updating Writer. SO WERE GONNA HAVE A MOB!!**

**Other Angry Readers: YEAH!!**

**Me: (Running. Panting) This (puff)…Is…(gulp air) Ridiculous! (Comes to a fork and catches sight of a sign)**

**Sign: "Bogglewoolf's Layer-1 mile"**

**Me: (Does that "Clifford Grin" and takes a right) Bingo.**

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

**Knowledge is Power, And So Are Pictures Chp 19**

17-year-old Raven Roth was someone who prided herself on being calm. To remain detached, emotionless, unallowing of any expression to be facially shown in any situation that would test these resolves.

Today was no exception. Not a single discernable thought could be seen on her pale, lovely face.

However, like every person, Raven did have a physical "tell."

Not many people knew it, but if someone wanted to find out what Raven was feeling, they needed to look at her feet.

When she was annoyed, it tapped up and down; when impatient, from side to side; if she was happy, her toes curled and uncurled; angry, and her left heel would grind into the ground savagely, and you can imagine what she would _like_ to have underfoot at that moment. When she was embarrassed, she would rock on her heels; when she was nervous, she would run her right foot along its side repeatedly; irritated or bored, and let the weight shifting begin. Sad or disappointed, and her left foot would switch between kicking the ground dejectedly, and slowly turning on the pad of her foot in depression. And finally--and don't tell _anyone_ this--when she was feeling kinda, sorta…_flirtatious_, she would bring her right foot up to rub the back of her left ankle, then lightly tap the tips of her toes against the ground.

And now, her right foot was betraying her yet again, by pressing harder and harder on the gas pedal.

As she made her way to Richard's home, a good 45-minute trip (she mentally cursed Sunday Drivers) one might expect the dark teenager would take a mini stroll down memory lane in a small futile attempt to figure out just how she managed to get into this situation.

And they would be wrong. Raven doesn't _do_ nostalgia.

So she merely flipped through the talk-show infested radio stations until she found some music that would satisfy.

But seeing how _we _would all like to know just how she managed to get into this situation, lets go back in time shall we?

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

The time the two injured heroes spent at the hospital--from admission to discharge--passed with a maddening slowness that only the bedridden know.

In fact, the entire month-and-a-half had been a boring, tranquil healing experience.

…Of course, that was the answer you would receive had you been apart of the press interviewing (or rather, irritating) any person who came in contact with the Prince of Jump City and his girlfriend (though this wasn't a positive fact, but was the general assumption).

However, if you weren't a member of the press, and were entirely trusted by the people who treated/visited/were friends/family with Richard Grayson and his girlfriend (to whom this _was_ a positive fact), you would have received varying answers on what the entire month-and-a-half had been for them.

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

For Victor, it had been stressful…

_Being over six feet tall, the high wide receiver of the Jump City Steelers, and weighing over 200 pounds--all muscle, Victor Stone was not someone easily intimidated._

_Yet here he sat, squirming like a little kid who had poured blue paint on a classmate's yellow dress to see if it really did make green._

_And who were his tormentors but a 5 foot 4 delicate looking Goth girl and a bedridden and bandaged up heir to a multi-billion dollar throne?_

_However, Vic knew that these two were not to be underestimated. Raven could kick like a mule and was armed with a plethora of knowledge about imaginative, untraceable, and herbal ways to hurt him. As for Richard…invalid or not, the guy was still a martial arts expert and renowned superhero; Vic was pretty sure a bedpan couldn't stop Robin from beating him to a pulp._

_So he felt that he had every right to sweat bullets in anticipation of the interrogation he knew was coming. He was not disappointed…_

_"How did she find out?"_

_"How long have you known?"_

_"Why did you tell her?"_

_"Why _didn't_ you tell me?"_

__

"Does anyone else know?"

"Have you gotten any perks I should know about?"

"Do you plan on having anyone else 'figure it out just by looking at you' ?"

"Did you get to ride the Batmobile?"

"What were you thinking?!"

**BOOM.**

_The onslaught of rapid-fire questions (which he made no attempt to answer, he wouldn't have had time to anyway) paused as they slowly looked over to the right of the room, where an exploded, charred, former glass of water sat in the glowing hand of a sheepish Starfire._

_Three pairs of eyes bulged._

_"I think the term is…'Oops'?" she started, then blinked as a drop of magenta blood hit her eyelash, compliments of the largest of the minor cuts and nicks where the glass shards had struck her._

_Richard was at her side faster than anyone with broken ribs should, wiping at the cuts and removing the transparent splinters, brushing them from her hair and lap, as well as literally pulling them from where they had embedded themselves in her skin. _

_"Starfire what happened!?"_

_"I was experimenting with the heat my lights could create on the glass of water. I was able to evaporate all of the liquid," she winced despite his gentle efforts as he pulled a shard from a burn, "I thereafter wondered if I could melt the glass, but I underestimated the fragility of the glass, as well as miscalculated the speed of which I should increase the temperature, also the correct placement of the heat. It seems that Earthen glass will explode before it will melt if heated improperly."_

_Richard chuckled despite himself, dabbing antiseptic onto the injuries, then asked Raven for some of her yellow balm. _

_As she handed it to him and supervised the application, she glanced at her alien friend, "I could get you some books on glassblowing if you want Starfire. I'm sure it's a different process than on your planet."_

_Another explosion interrupted Star's response. This one, however, came from the young black teen who had watched the whole thing, forgotten by his friends and all but catatonic. _

_But he wasn't now._

_"WHAT CRAZY LOOP HAVE I BEEN LEFT OUT OF!?"_

_Richard and Raven exchanged puzzled looks, then Richard smacked his head lightly and winced at the pain the action caused his still-fragile fractured knuckles. "Oh yeah, I never did tell Vic about you did I Star?" _

_His girlfriend nodded in the affirmative, then looked to her understatedly shocked friend, "I am sorry Vic, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'loop', but we had neglected to inform you about my own secret. I am from a planet called Tamaran, and my people are gifted with certain abilities." To demonstrate, she lifted her (newly replaced) bedside table like it was made of Styrofoam, then levitated about a foot off the bed. _

_Vic's eyes bugged out to the point of resembling a Pug._

_"…I used my talents to assist Robin-"_

_"YOUR Flame?" the teen broke in, eyes growing even larger, if possible, "YOU were Robin's new partner?!" _

_Richard had the gall to look smug, "Yep."_

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_As Starfire and Richard explained, Victor both seethed and reeled. _

_For weeks, he had badgered Robin nonstop about his new crime fighting partner._

_At first, it had been jealousy-based; after all, Vic had known Robin for a lot longer than this chick had, why wasn't _he_ the one buddying up and fighting crime?_

_On the discovery that said chick had superpowers, the argument was stopped short._

_Then came the question of meeting her. Vic knew better than to ask for Flame's true identity (he knew it was possible that Robin didn't even know), and he respected her wish for privacy, but what he couldn't understand was why he wasn't allowed to at least meet her. After all, he knew Robin, she knew Robin, why couldn't they hang out? If Robin liked her then she _had_ to be an interesting person. And besides, she could kick butt, which was awesome, she had superpowers, which was entirely awesome, and she had the body of a model, which was just icing on the cake._

_But when Robin had heard _that_ little reason, Vic was reintroduced to the glare of death as well as the sleeper hold. He did back off though, albeit with grumbles revolving around "spiky haired do-gooders," and how they were "selfish, over reactive, and jealous."_

_This played a part in the creation of the last of the questioning/berating, which unfortunately, was made personal. _

_Vic knew that Robin liked Flame (there was no denying this) and he knew that Richard liked (possibly loved) Starfire. So Vic had decided to defend his surrogate little sister, as was his duty as unofficial big brother. _

_…And maybe get some dirt on Flame in the process…if the chance came up._

_Initial comments about how his friend had a "thing for redheads", or "if Star all but mangled Kitten, just _imagine_ how she'd treat Flame", quickly turned nasty with accusations that his friend was "leading Star on, and taking the whole double life thing a bit too seriously," what with having a girlfriend with each identity. "But hey," he had said, "like father like son."_

_That particular jibe had led to a blowout for the ages. Alfred actually had to raise his voice above 50 decibels to get them to stop._

_Nevertheless, Vic and Richard's friendship had very nearly ended that night. But knowing that bringing up their spat in public would lead to unanswerable questions, they resolved to treat each other with borderline civility. They barely spoke to one another, save the occasional cutting remark, and mainly just glared at one another, as if wishing the other person would burst into flames would make it happen. Any disagreement though, no matter how small, always seemed to loosen their tongues enough to have a massive argument. _

_They actually had a 15 minute falling out about the seasoning abilities of soy sauce compared to salt. It ended when their waiter stormed up and ranted things in Chinese that made Terra (who was fluent) blush, and take the salty flavor enhancers away from the bickering ex-bros._

_Since none--well most--of the Titans were idiots, the fact that their unofficial leader and his right-hand man were fighting was not lost on them. Each wondered what was wrong, and had all wanted to talk to the two about it, if not try to get _them _to talk to each other about it. But past experience had shown that any meddling would result in being caught in the cross fire, and that wasn't a pleasant place to be. _

_So the non-fighting members of the group took no sides and simply waited patiently until the usual levity between Richard and Vic returned. _

_Unfortunately, no one had told Starfire about staying out of it. _

_With a cunning that was unusual for her, the Tamaranian had managed to get Vic to come to Wayne Manor, claiming that she required his assistance with her Calculus homework._

_It was a half-truth; Starfire _had_ really needed some help, but only very little. Regardless, she deliberately missed some questions, pretending not to understand some of the formulas, and overlooked it when Vic_ _actually made some mistakes. Anything to waste time until Robin got back from patrol._

_And when she had invited Vic to the dining area for some celebratory snacks, it was _mainly_ coincidence that Richard was already there. She _might_ have known that he had gone down to get his laptop to write down his reports for the patrol, which she _could _have left there, but it was _mainly _an accident…_

_Both boys had looked ready to turn heel and leave on sight of each other, but before they had quite known what was going on, Starfire had dragged them to the bar and forced them to sit on the stools, insisting that they deal with their problem._

_"Friends must not act in this way, pretending they are fine when they truly are not," she had said, "I will not have the _rekmas _upon us so you will sit here and you will talk and do the making up until you are no longer angry, and I will sit guard by the door so you cannot escape."_

_"What?" Richard had protested, too stunned to correct her phrasing or ask for translation, "Starfire, you can't just trap people together and force them to talk about what's bothering them!"_

_"I can, and I just have," Star had replied with the regal commanding tone that reminded Richard of the princess she was._

_"But you're just gonna sit there and wait until we talk it over?" Vic had asked disbelievingly._

_"Yes."_

_"What're _you _gonna do?"_

_The Tamaranian calmly held up a copy of _Gone With the Wind, _and left the room. Vic immediately headed deeper into the kitchen. "Doesn't Star know there's another door here?" he half-asked Richard, who was following behind him._

_Richard's retort was cut off when Vic pulled the door open. An enormous marble hutch, one Richard knew belonged in the foyer, was currently blocking the doorway into the dining room. However, as enormous as it was, it didn't quite reach the top of the door, leaving just enough space for a Richard-sized human being to wiggle through._

_The part-time hero knew he needed to say something right then, something plausible that would keep his current rival from asking how in the world Star managed to get that hutch in there. "Gimme a boost," he requested logically, holding out his hand for Vic to take._

_But Vic didn't take it, "I can't."_

_Alarms immediately went off in his head, but Richard still scoffed. "Would you rather stay here and talk about our _feelings_?" he asked, hoping the guy he was trapped with wouldn't notice the small tremor in his voice._

_Vic turned to him, "No Rich, I literally _can't_."_

_An inner sigh of relief, then, "What do you mean?"_

_"Look up."_

_Following instructions, Richard now noticed something he hadn't before._

_And paled dramatically._

_A prunus vase, tall, beautifully proportioned, rising from its base to flare gracefully and then round to the mouth, with a single plum blossom branch that lay haphazardly within it. More noticeably though, was the mystic green glaze it bore. True to the legend, it had the radiance of jade, but the clarity of water. Even more significant was the snow-white crane with black legs in mid-flight amongst soft white clouds inlaid into the clay pot. _

_It was one of the most valuable and perfect specimens of the ancient Celadon Pottery that a person could own. It was one of Bruce's greatest possessions._

_And it was hanging from a thin string on a precarious hook that had been driven into the roof, 12 feet up. The string was attached to the marble hutch impeding their escape, one that anyone could tell would easily snap if disturbed._

_Richard's face was milk white as he stumbled slowly away from the danger, mind whirling with what could happen to him if that vase got broken. Medieval torture followed by each of the Seven Circles of Hell didn't even begin to scratch the surface._

_So, the black-balled teen turned to his fellow prisoner, who looked a little green himself as he stared at the vase, which was rocking slowly back and forth, back and forth…_

Star shouldn't be capable of this much evil_, they both thought._

_"Wanna talk about our feelings?"_

_"Oh yeah."_

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_Although the argument the two had nearly escalated to blows, Vic and Richard managed to work things out, though Star was three-quarters of the way through her book by the time they had._

_But it was decided. Robin would no longer show any interest towards his partner in anti-crime, and Victor would keep all comments about her to himself._

_To be truthful, they had both been grateful for the somewhat unwelcome intrusion into their tiff; both hadn't liked fighting with the guy they'd been buds with since Elementary School._

_So they had thanked Starfire for her meddling. _

_Then they hastily denied her offers to prepare the Tamaranian dish of forgiveness._

_And also begged her to get that vase _down_._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_Now the irony was killing Vic…Flame and Star were the _same person_…The fight he had had with his best friend had been for _nothing_. He had nearly wet himself thinking about what Batman would do to him if that vase got broken, and it was all in vain._

_He wanted to laugh and scream at the same time._

_Then a new thought struck him: _What about Rich? I bet all this crap nearly killed him! _He had a newfound respect for his friend. _The will power it must've took for him not to break down when I had ranted all those times that he didn't _need _Flame, cuz he already _had _Starfire…that's incredible. I bet I looked so stupid. _He groaned_ _as one particular rant decided to hammer through his hippocampus._

_"I cant understand you Richard!" he had yelled, "How could you _ever_ want to choose somebody you don't really even _know _over a girl who is your definition of a perfect woman?! I bet Starfire is just as smart, caring, funny, and all those other things we list about people we like as Flame is! And even though she may not have _superpowers_, you will _never_ meet anyone with a bigger heart than our Lil' Lady. And Flame could never even _begin _to adore you even _half_ as much Star does. Besides, Star is _just_ as hot as Flame. Heck, she even _looks_ a lot like her Richard! It's a wonder that they even _have_ girls like that on this planet!!"_

_Suddenly, Vic understood why Richard's face had gone red and puckered up like he had just downed a lemon followed by 5 extremely sour candies. The urge to burst into hysterical laughter must have been overwhelming._

God above I am an idiot. WHY hadn't I made the connection that the two girls were the same person!? It was so OBVIOUS!!

_Vic honestly couldn't remember a time when he felt so stupid. And that was saying a lot, because Vic had done _many_ a stupid thing in his 18 years on this little blue planet. Nevertheless, he wished for a bo staff to hit himself upside the head on the off-chance that it would knock some common sense into him. _

_But he would do that some other time…Right now was the time to pay attention. _

_"And due to the machine Slade placed me in," Starfire concluded, "I have been gifted me with a new power," her hands alit with their new green glow. "I have discovered that I can summon them when I am feeling angry, they are very effective projectiles, and a convenient light source._

_"I have been having trouble, however." she continued, "I am not sure about what I shall name them. Richard believes it should have the word 'Star' in it, since I am the first of my people to possess this ability. What do you suggest, Vic?"_

_Vic just stared at her, glancing desperately at the other people in the room, who looked unfazed. _

_Out of everything he had just learned in one fell swoop, the calm delivery of it all was actually the thing that freaked him out the most._

_He placed his bald head tiredly into his hands and responded, "I need a vacation."_

_(And for the record, the finger-paint scenario described earlier had, in fact, actually happened to him, and the yellow dress 6-year-old Victor had ruined had also happened to be that of Karen Beecher's. One of the first of many stupid things Victor had done._

_Seeing as how Karen got angry easily, even as a little kid, and 1st graders were not the most understanding human beings, it is easy to imagine little paint-covered Karen pouring the rest of the blue liquid on young Victor's head. _

_Its also easy to imagine how this quickly escalated into an all out paint war, ending with a trip to the principal's office, called parents, an angry teacher, and the cementing of the two little hoodlums' camaraderie from that day on. _

_Pouring paint on each other is the best way for a lasting friendship to get started. It's just common sense.) _

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For the teachers at Jump City High, it had been relaxing…

_If you went to all the longtime staff who worked at the Elementary, Middle, or High schools inside the district where our favorite clan of teenagers lived and asked them about Richard Grayson and his so-called "Titans," you would receive mixed reactions._

_Some would smile, some would sneer, some would snort, some would scowl, and others would pale with memories of that traumatizing era of their lives._

_Many at JCH were apart of the latter section. _

_Now, to be fair, some of those teens weren't _completely_ deplorable they would admit, and it wasn't that those kids were _bad_…per se, it was simply that they were so lively; always full of ideas, and always full of the energy they needed to carry out those ideas._

_…This often wasn't a good thing. At least, not for those who would be directly effected by the outcome of these ideas._

_So, with the leader of this band of hoodlums out of commission (their sent wishes for his speedy recovery were noticeably half-hearted), every teacher from Dr. Light to Coach Pantha looked forward to just a little less of the chaos Grayson and his girlfriend (their condolences to her were a bit more genuine) seemed to generate. Also, they even dared to dream that the other Titans might be too distracted by their boss' hospitalization to cause too much mischief._

_It turned out to be even better than they hoped. Without their beloved head honcho, the Titans seemed to fall apart. Sure, they tried to retain their dynamic spirit, but without Grayson, it simply fell flat. _

_For a month-and-a-half, the knowledge-bringers of Jump City High School experienced relative peace._

_"Makes you wish the little snot got hurt more often," Mr. Mod was heard to say._

_Shortly thereafter, the Science Lab's collection of rodents found their way into his car._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For Bruce, it had been unexciting, though a little amusing…

_As the man who was secretly one of the most legendary heroes of all time made his way to his adoptive son's room, he calmly looked about the hallway he was in, constantly checking for anything out of place, suspicious. It was a habit long ago picked up when he trained to become who he was, and he saw no reason to break it--it had saved lives on multiple occasions._

_So far though, nothing seemed wrong. Patients walking, wheeling, limping, or leaning heavily on IV poles on their way to wherever they needed to go; Doctors, nurses, and orderlies treating, assisting, or encouraging them, along with the ever-present visitors with their ever-present teddies, bouquets, cards, and other such gifts, given with a heavy layer of nauseating well-meaning concern. Even more nauseating was the smell of thin generic cotton, inedible food, and the strange indescribable stench of sickness mixed with the sterile cleanliness that permeated the building._

_It was safe to say that Bruce Wayne didn't particularly care for hospitals. It probably explained why he never got sick enough to go to one._

_Unlike his protégée, who just _had_ to get he and his girlfriend nearly killed. The billionaire rolled his eyes, Teenagers._

_Ah! His gray-blue eyes focused on a doctor, who had their head down, buried in a chart that from the look of the tag on it, had Cardio problems. She was also making an unknowing beeline for the man who was walking behind and to the left of his person (had already been deduced as unthreatening, listening to an MP3 with the music too loud, no special physical attributes, apparel too…typical, to be anyone but a visitor)_

_Picking up his speed minutely, Bruce waited til the doctor was beside him, then gently pulled her in front of him, out of the crash course. Her head shot up immediately with question, but it froze in place on seeing the man who routinely had his picture on the cover of every magazine there was._

_"You should look where you're going when you walk Doctor," Bruce advised before she could squeal or bombard him with questions. "You could bump into someone."_

_Despite being mesmerized by the small-yet-melting smile on Bruce Wayne's face, the Cardiologist still managed to get out a "Wha-?" before the man from earlier walked uncaringly by._

_"Oh," she realized aloud, and then mentally demanded that she say something more substantial. "Thank you for that, I appreciate it." You couldn't go wrong with courtesy right?_

_Apparently it did, for Bruce, pleased that she didn't throw herself at him (and that wasn't egotism, its happened before) gifted her with a wider smile. _

_"You're very welcome," he charmed, the slightest twinkle in his eye, "Now if you'll excuse me." He maneuvered himself around the doctor currently sporting a happily dazed smile, and gently pushed her back into motion, though it was noticeably less brisk than it was before. _

_Bruce grinned to himself; the eye-gleam worked, it always did. Many people, especially himself, knew that his appearance, while insanely attractive, was oddly flat somehow, like an old faded photograph. Tangible, real, but lifeless. With a grin or a spark in his pale eyes, however, the difference was like night and day. Women instantly lost all neural function._

_He didn't mind looking 2-Dimensional though, having a quality of absolute stillness was partly what made him so capable of disappearing. And being able to make a lady swoon with a look had its advantages as well._

_Alfred had been right, as usual. His constant pretending to have fun actually made him have a little by accident. _

_As he continued walking, he heard where Richard's room was before he saw it. Loud laughter poured from the room and echoed down the hall. Bruce could pick out each voice as one Titan or another, but he nearly paused mid-step when he heard Richard's chuckles among them. It was a rarity for Bruce to hear his son laugh without restraint._

_Wanting in on the joke, he walked faster, and stopped at the doorway for two reasons._

_One, Karen, Alan, and Wally were blocking the entrance doubled over with hysterics._

_Two was the cause of their hysterics._

_Starfire, wearing a set of lavender scrubs a size too big (no doubt sweet-talked from one of the nurses) was hunched over, looking wall-eyed and crooked-jawed as she made strange "humph! humph!" sounds. Her hands were up by her head, holding three pieces of…bacon?_

_Bruce tapped the shoulder of an orderly who had also been watching and laughing. When he raised teary mirthful eyes to Bruce, the billionaire asked the obvious question, "What's going on?"_

_The hospital employee grinned and snorted a little bit, "I-I have no idea!!" he confessed, dissolving into laughter once again._

_Bruce raised an eyebrow, then looked back at the occupants of the overcrowded room. His eyes fell on Richard, who was also dressed in scrubs, these ones blue, and was sitting cross-legged on his bed, almost doubled over in laughter._

_Again, Bruce's eyes brightened and his mouth curled into a genuine smile. However, a little worm of confusion again curled inside him at how different his progeny was._

_When Richard came to live with him, he had been more quiet and withdrawn than any 8-year-old Bruce had met. But this was understandable, seeing as how they kid had just lost his parents, and he recalled that he himself had acted very similarly when his own parents had passed. Also, as a former circus performer, Richard was used to a life where nothing was permanent. People came and went, and it was best not to get too attached, because there was a show to be had in the next town. Leaving was inevitable._

_But as he grew older, and the deep cuts left by grief had healed to scars, the young heir remained aloof, though with a rage that had replaced his sadness. Bruce had never sought to change his new charge, he even encouraged it, because such an attitude was good for dealing with the bad guys, both as a hero and a civilian. _

_So, with his naturally learned distance added to his emotional anguish, Bruce's teachings in the art of being disconnected from everything, and Alfred's willingness not to pry unless it was brought up, Richard, not surprisingly, grew up to be an embittered, isolated young man. Even with his friends, he remained unattached, except with Victor and possibly Rachel, though there was still an obvious distance._

_But with a chance meeting at the airport, everything changed. _Completely._ Watching Richard Grayson make the chance from emotionless clod to functional human being was almost unnatural._

_The funny thing about taking in a kid who was almost exactly like you, and raising them to be almost exactly like you, is that you expect them to _continue_ to be almost exactly like you._

_So when you meet someone who can make them turn a 90 degree angle after a single afternoon, then a total 180 after one school day, its bound to be an intriguing experience._

_With that said, it doesn't really come as a shock that when Bruce had first met Starfire, he had been suspicious of her. On the other hand, that wasn't saying much in the first place; Bruce had been suspicious of every other friend Richard had made under his care. _

_But Starfire had been slightly more difficult for two reasons. One, because Richard was so much closer to her, was so completely drawn in by her, and he had so much more to lose. Second was because she was so darn likeable! Bruce couldn't remember warming up to a person that quickly unless _some_ kind of mind-altering substances were involved._

_And again, that being said, it also wasn't too surprising that he had searched the young lady's room for any incriminating substances, that is, until Alfred caught him (he marveled at his butler's superior sneaking powers) and kicked him out._

_But after strenuous research and lots of dressing-downs from Alfred, eventually, he had to admit it: Starfire wasn't manipulating him or Richard. She was just that likable._

_Still, seeing Richard this happy was _strange_. And all thanks to the young beautiful teenager currently making a fool out of herself in the hospital room. It was almost enough to make Bruce wonder if HE should get himself a girlfriend._

_…Nah, he had too much fun being miserable._

_Still, once you no longer questioned _why_ Starfire was doing this odd act, it _was_ pretty funny. Bruce's smile widened to a grin, and as Star continued her antics, it turned into soft chuckles emitting from a man who was known for being absolutely humorless._

_So, it probably explained why the three Titans standing in front of him cut off mid-giggle and turned to him with expressions that suggested that he had just burst into flames instead of laughed._

_"Its not possible," gasped Alan, black eyes wide with shock, "he had to be coughing."_

_"Or he's sick," offered Wally, looking frantic for some reason._

_Karen looked as stunned as her peers, but a grin was making its way across her face, "No, I think he was actually…_laughing_."_

_The remainder of people in the room stopped cold. Bruce got a sudden sense of impending doom._

_"Are you sure?" questioned Terra, rubbing her side to relieve the pain of her mirth, "He could've been coughing or something."_

_"I already said that Terra, I don't think he was."_

_"He was laughing," Karen confirmed, a sassy smirk on her face as she turned to Wally, hand out. "Pay up."_

_"No!" the teen burst out, "He wasn't _really_ laughing, he was just…chuckling! It doesn't count!"_

_"Wally, its _Bruce Wayne_. Chuckling _more_ than counts." _

_"C'mon Bee!" the red head pleaded, "I don't _have_ two hundred dollars!"_

_"Don't have it?!" Karen roared, "You just won over three _GRAND_!" She stabbed her finger into her friend's chest, oblivious to the attention her outburst had drawn._

_"I had to split it with other people!" the soon to be poorer young man defended himself, too frantic to notice the audience they had either._

_"Don't care. Show me the money, Speedy." Suddenly Wally relaxed, and an infuriating smirk crossed his handsome features._

_"Ahh Bee, therein lies the problem about why you can't get your money from me."_

_If Karen practiced a martial art, Bruce figured she'd be in the "ready" position, "What's that?"_

_"You have to catch me first." And with that, the blue-eyed star of the Jump City track team sprinted out the door._

_Karen tore after him. "GET BACK HERE WEST!!"_

_For a while, all was silent in the room, the people within it staring at the door where the two teens had exited._

_Then Bruce turned back to the remaining youths, the expression on his face utterly different from what it had been previously, "They had a bet as to whether or not I had the ability to laugh?"_

_Sheepish grins and pointedly averted eyes were his answer._

_Bruce's eyes narrowed, "Are there any other ones?" Instantly, every person but the two patients were streaming out of the room, the air thick with exclamations of how late it was, suddenly remembered appointments, and well-wishings directed at Richard and Starfire._

_Who looked like they wished they could follow them. _

_"Richard, I'd like to speak with you--"_

_"I'm only in on three of them!" Richard cried in alarm, "And Star isn't on any!"_

_"That isn't true Richard, " Starfire corrected, "I am apart of the wager you have regarding if your _K'norfka_ does or does not possess the Batman undergarments."_

_Richard drew in a strangled breath, eyes widening, before they closed, exhaling choppily, looking like he fully expected a painful death in the next second…and was trying to hold in uproarious laughter._

_"…Well, that wasn't what I wanted to talk about," Richard's eyes popped open as he turned red, "But we will later on." An audible gulp was heard. "By the way Starfire, I'm curious, what side of the bet did you take?"_

_The girl looked a little red herself as she replied, "I wagered 20 dollars that you do own them, because Richard has the Robin box--MMPH!" A scarlet Richard leapt out of bed and frantically smothered her words with a bandaged hand, barely noticing the jolt of pain it sent through him._

_"What is it you wanted to talk about Dad?"_

_A raised eyebrow and twitching lips indicated Bruce's amusement, but he refrained from torturing his son about it…for now. "I wanted to talk about your training plans once you're discharged."_

_Richard's now-throbbing hand fell from his girlfriend's mouth, but it didn't matter, she was as dumbstruck as he was. "What?"_

_Bruce didn't seem to notice their shock, "You'll obviously need some recovery time after you come back, but I was hoping you'd be able to spend it wisely; get back to your responsibilities as quickly as possible."_

_"Responsibilities?" Richard echoed, trying to remind his father that Star was in the room._

_"Well yes, I can't protect this city by myself forever. I have Gotham to worry about after all. Its no problem, mind you, but it is pretty nice to have you two out there and let me take care of other matters. And," his voice became stern, "it would be best for everyone if you were _prepared_. Taking care of the scum in this city is a lot harder when you're out of practice."_

_The couple exchanged desperate looks, _Does this mean what I think it does? _They both more or less thought._

_"Besides, Starfire especially needs work, I haven't really been able to evaluate her yet, and I'd like to develop her new power, it has a lot of potential."_

_"Bruce," Richard broke in slowly, "how…long have you known that Starfire--?"_

_"Is an alien?" the man finished, "A few days after I met her. And I've known she was Flame ever since she took up the mantle. I must say," Bruce turned to the redhead, "you take to the hero role well, you've done good work."_

_"Th-thank you, _K'norfka _Bruce."_

_"You're welcome. Hey, can I--"_

_"How did you find out about her?!" Richard all but screamed._

_Bruce looked at his charge incredulously, "Did you…honestly think I _wouldn't_? Don't you remember who I _am_?" Richard walked slowly back to his bed and climbed in carefully, mindful_ _of his injuries, though he was wondering if the scans done on his head were wrong and he _did_ have brain damage. _It certainly explains how stupid I was to think I could fool the Worlds Greatest Detective,_ he thought in disgust._

_If Bruce had been the type, he would've patted his self-berating son's head in pitying amusement, but instead sent a small sympathetic smirk in his direction, then turned back to Starfire._

_"As I was saying, I wanted to know if I could ask you something Starfire."_

_"Yes _K'norfka_ Bruce?"_

_"Could you demonstrate your new power for me?" _

_Starfire nodded and held up a glowing green hand. Bruce studied the light for a second, stepping forward for a closer look. After examining it from all angles, he put his hand near the bolt, quickly removing it when he felt the heat._

_"You can shoot these right?" A new smoking crater next to all the old ones in the far wall was his answer. "Interesting. You can power down now; thank you for showing me." _

_"I welcome you," Starfire replied as her hands returned to their normal state, floating back to bed._

_"What have you decided to call them?"_

_"We have decided on Starbolts."_

_Bruce nodded in approval, "Fitting. Now, can I ask you something else?"_

_"Of course."_

_"What on earth were you doing when I came in here?"_

_Bruce wanted to laugh again at the responding expression on his son's girlfriend's face._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For the villains, it had been terrifying…

_At first, everything had gone the way it usually had; the evil-doers of Jump City did their dirty deeds quietly and cautiously. But it wasn't until a week had gone by that they noticed that the rumors about Robin and Flame being out of commission were true. No one, from bank robber to common mugger, had seen neither fist nor bird-a-rang of Jump City's teenage protector and his girlfriend._

_And for a short while, there was much rejoicing! Heists were going to go off without a hitch. Previously scrapped ideas were gleefully being dusted off, now with hope of actually going through successfully._

_Tragically, though, it was not meant to be. For only three days later, Batman unleashed a case of butt-whoop the likes of which they had hoped to never see. It had been noticed that, when Robin had started to grow up, his mentor was spending more and more time in Gotham, and less in Jump. Also noticed, that while Robin could intimidate with the best of them (mainly after he became normal-sized, that is), he was no where _near_ as petrifying as his dear old Daddy Batty._

_So though their collar had been loosened only a single hole, they still enjoyed the full benefits of it. Even when Flame came on the scene, the do-badders still didn't jump at every single noise they heard. _

_But they _had _learned to wear seatbelts if driving a getaway car was apart of their plans._

_Now though, each member of the city's Underworld felt like a bug in a henhouse. Batman was without a doubt the scariest of all heroes, though it was hard to explain why. He was just a guy with fancy gadgets and a big brain, but it was a borderline scientific fact: the man could make you wet your pants with a single glare._

_The closest way of explaining why villains were so terrified of the Dark Knight would only be to compare it to why people sat up a little straighter and acted better when they were around Julie Andrews._

_Simple fact of life: there are some people you just don't mess with. One is Batman. The other is Mary Poppins._

_(Another is Wang Fire, but only fans of Avatar will understand that)_

_"I cant believe I'm saying this, but I _miss_ Robin," replied a major Meth dealer when questioned by reporters as he was taken into custody, "for one, he doesn't hit as hard." This appeared to be true, if the man's missing incisor were any indication. "I especially miss Flame though," he added, "getting pummeled isn't nearly as bad when a sexy girl does it."_

_Thereafter, Batman assured the press that the batarang hitting the man's head was purely accidental. _

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For the rest of the Titans, it had been a conglomeration of things…

_What was said earlier on was true; without Richard, the Titans were as sheep without a Sheppard._

_And it was twice as chaotically boring. Seriously, untended sheep are a riot to watch to be sure; so addled with their newfound freedom, they have no idea what to do with themselves. But its also boring when you get down to it, because you when you do, you realize that those sheep are going nowhere fast._

_But in a nutshell (And in alphabetical order):_

_Alan was a little confused, concerned, and jealous for almost the entirety of his friends' stay. Seeing as how Raven was someone with a low tolerance for idiots, it was safe to say that Alan was a smart guy, and the little story about what had happened with Richard and Star didn't exactly fly. Any person with common sense would see that the couple's injuries--however grievous they were--were _not_ the type you get from a motorcycle accident._

_Alan got the ever increasing feeling that his long-time suspicions were true. Fortunately, the swimmer possessed another trait; he wasn't a meddler. It was a trait widely appreciated by the Titans, but none as much as Raven. _

_He had always been raised by the Gentleman's Code, and one thing in that code involved not pressuring a lady to do anything she truly didn't want to. He let her take most of the steps in their relationship, even though they almost always seemed to either be baby, or backward. But she was worth it. When he had first saw her, cutting through the natatorium to the Track field when he had been doing laps, there was just something about her, something that seemed broken._

_He wanted to heal it up. But, it could be at her own pace._

_When she had shut him down when he had brought up a subject she didn't like, be it her childhood (or worse, her father) he had never pressed for more, and never mentioned the subject again. Which made it all the more special when she had finally opened up. _

_So he would keep his musings to himself, and simply float along the river that was his life._

_But it didn't mean he couldn't be a _little_ irritated that his girlfriend was practically living at the hospital. Or that when he visited, any conversation that had been taking place screeched to a halt, and a new one was started. _

_Just because he preferred to go with the flow didn't mean that he never fought the current._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

_Bee was among the lesser affected ones when it came to Richard and Star. She had never saw the point in constantly freaking out over tiny setbacks or flooding the infirmed with cards, candy, or carnations. "They were going to be fine," was all she heard and that was enough for her._

_So, she focused on more critical things, taking care of her schoolwork, milking the opportunity she had for stealing and redesigning Richard's wardrobe for all its worth, and make her dear boyfriend's life a little harder for keeping secrets from her. _

_They had been together for four years and friends for even longer than that, and he decides to pull a stunt like _that_?_ _The guy helps out one of Jump City's famed protectors and doesn't immediately call his girlfriend--one he _knew _was a fan of said protector--as a boyfriend should? Jerk!_

_But, he's my jerk, she thought affectionately as she put superglue on the Ferrari's door handle._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

_Garfield on the other hand, did not do so fine while his buds were cooped up in the place whose name shall not be mentioned. _

_Like Bruce, the green haired prankster was not a fan of the building that contained sharp, pointy objects. When he was younger, Gar had gotten very sick with some rare disease, and many trips to the "H" word were made. Years later, the term "blood test" still made him squirm._

_But as much as he disliked the Death Hotel (as he so affectionately called it) his love for the people he considered his brother and sister outweighed his fears, and he would steel himself to walk down those white halls to visit._

_Outside of the Sick People Palace, something else was happening to him. _

_He hadn't understood it at first, only knew that there was something…_off. _Attempts at being the comic relief of his group fell flatter than usual. His one-liners didn't have the punch they once had. His jokes, bad as they had been, were now leaving corny land and entering stinker territory. And as for his pranks…his pranks…well, lets just say that telling Bee to put glue on Vic's beloved "baby" had been the best one._

_On realizing this all-time low, Garfield Logan was forced to admit it: he had pranker's block._

_So, he did what any self-respecting prankster would do to overcome this. He watched TV. Some of his best thoughts had come to him when he wasn't thinking, and you don't get more thoughtless than the Tube._

_Usually, video games would've been what he would've done for that month-and-a-half, but its no fun playing alone and well…_

_Richard, Vic, Wally, Alan, and Terra were the only other gamers in the Titans. Rich's reasons for not playing were obvious, Vic was too stressed over whatever was bothering him (not to mention what it was doing to his relationship), Wally was fun only to the point when he got cocky, Alan was too preoccupied with Raven's preoccupations to be much of a game-buddy, and Terra…well, there were only so many times your girlfriend can kick your butt._

_He actually found himself missing Raven. Even though she was his total opposite, Gar always knew she was the person to talk to when he needed someone who wouldn't judge, take personally, or poke fun at anything he said. _

_And he was happy to do the same thing when she had needed him. It was when she had met this guy, Malchior, at one of her dusty old bookstores._

_Neither he or any of the other Titans had ever gotten to talk to the guy much, but Gar hadn't liked him from the get-go. There was something about his dyed white hair, oily smooth British accent, and that "suaver-than-you" act he had that made Gar's skin prickle. But he never had the heart to tell Raven, who actually seemed happy for a change._

_Every time he worked up the courage to say something, he noticed the brighter clothes the was wearing, heard the actual hint of emotion in her voice, saw the small sparkle in her eye that made her almost glow…and he lost his nerve._

_Gar had never found out exactly what had happened between his friend and her boyfriend, but the words "selfish, conniving jerk used her" were all he needed to hear from Jen before he jumped on his moped and blasted over to Raven's house as fast as the piece of junk would let him go._

_Arella had first told him that her daughter didn't want to see anybody, but after he whipped out The Face, she caved and let him in._

_And he had to stand outside her door, looking at all the less-than-cheery pictures and comics on it for about 10 minutes before he knocked._

_"Raven? Its me."_

_"…Go away."_

_His warm smile could be heard in his voice, "C'mon Rae, when has that ever stopped me?" There was no answer and he looked down, pulling at his ear, "When did it stop you a month ago?" he asked quietly._

_Again, there was no answer, but it was a different kind of silence, one where he could tell she was thinking about a month ago, when he had needed to talk about the blonde-haired girl who had crushed him._

_"…What should I say?"_

_"You don't need to say anything if you don't want to. Look, I just wanna say…I'm sorry."_

_"For what? You're not the one who-"_

_"No. I'm sorry that...he broke your heart."_

_"I know it was all a lie. But he was the only person who ever made me feel like I wasn't...creepy. And don't try to tell me I'm not."_

_"Okay. Fine. You're way creepy," he admitted, "But that doesn't mean you have to stay locked in your room. You think you're alone, Raven, but you're not."_

_Apparently, that had been all he had needed to say, because after the longest pause of all, she had opened her door, and hugged him for the first time since they met.  
_

_To this day he never knew how he had never realized that he liked Raven as more than friend until that moment. And in the days after that, when she was getting back to her old self, but acting a little nicer to him plus spending more time around him. Her lips even twitched when he had showed his friends his Tuborkle! (A _huge_ new reaction.) _

_For a little while, he had thought that maybe opposites really did attract._

_But then Mr. "Rising Star of the Swim Team" came on the scene, and Terra was back in the picture a little after that…it just never happened._

_Still though, there were times when Gar felt more comfortable around the dark, creepy, understanding purple-haired Goth than his own girlfriend._

_Now would be one of those times, if Raven wasn't spending every possible moment at the H word._

_But, he wasn't too upset about it. If he knew anything about Raven, it was that she never did things without reason. Something was happening with Richard and Star while they were staying at the Torture Chamber for the Weak and the Sick, and Raven needed to be there to help. _

_His own stupid little dramas could wait._

_Besides, it wasn't as it he was _completely_ without things to do. There was a _Clash of the Planets _marathon on the "TV Trash Heap" channel coming up in a few days._

_Ahh, entertainment at its greatest._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

_Jen had tried to act like her friends hospitalizations didn't effect her much. She went to school, hung out at the mall, attended her gymnastics classes, and all around went through her usual routine as she attempted nonchalance over Richard and Star's situation._

_She failed miserably. _

_Ever since she had lost her parents when she was young, Jen never could stand to see anyone close to her unwell. Deeply embedded paranoia had her constantly stressed, worrying that something would happen when she wasn't there._

_But being forcibly removed from a patient's bedside came off a tad bit clingy, and there was nothing Jen hated more than to be thought of as clingy._

_For a long time, she had been apart of a gang at her school, was the leader even, and was well known for her cool head, hot temper, and utter lack of surprise. Equally known was her hatred for the Titans, due to all the times they would bust her gang and turn them in when they tried to accomplish something. There was hardly an occurrence that she didn't meet with a soft, terrifyingly level voice, and was never thrown off-balance, be it mentally or physically. Her talents as a gymnast were as well-known as her talents as a trouble maker and a thief. _

_But when it came to Madame Rouge, she became the equivalent of a fan girl confronted with her favorite movie star. Clingy was a mild term for how she acted around the cold twisted French villain. _

_She still thanked the Master Of The Universe occasionally for having Wally save her from a life of boot licking. She never wanted to be like that again._

_So now, she restricted herself to dropping off the assigned schoolwork for her laid up friends, and only interrogating the doctor a _little_ about how they were doing. _

_But despite her best efforts, Jen's fretfulness shone clearly through._

_Her own schoolwork, for example, were neglected, her grades predictably suffered as a result. Her mall visits became less frequent, causing her to do something she despised, lag behind on the latest fashions. And since she cleaned when she was stressed, her entire house, her room at Wayne Manor, and Wayne Manor itself (despite Alfred's protests) became utterly, spotlessly, clean. She had also thrown herself into her gymnastics, with the sole-purpose of forgetting about what could happen if she wasn't there._

_This, she also failed at. But her triple back handspring and full turns on the balance beam became flawless. _

_Whoop-dee-doo for small favors._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

_Terra didn't bother pretending that she didn't care about the newly happy and currently incapacitated couple. Mainly because she really _didn't _care. They weren't in critical condition after all, why should she? Worrying didn't make people get better any faster. _

_Don't get her wrong, she kept up with what was going on, and she wished them a speedy recovery, but stressing yourself over something you couldn't control seemed like a big waste of time to the thin, blonde teen._

_Besides, they seemed to be busy with their own thing here lately. She just hoped it wouldn't interfere with future Titan activities. Without the sarcastic witty blue-eyed boy and the happy bouncy redhead, it was just _boring_. _

_Terra hated boring._

_So, she sent them some get well cards, got updates from those who visited, visited a couple times herself, and waited for things to get back to normal._

_Although, she wasn't exactly idle during that month-and-a-half. There were, after all, bets to be made around the school. _

_She never did quite know when being a Bookie became one of her unofficial hobbies. But that was probably because she couldn't remember when she _wasn't_ betting. When Brion, her brother had been around, they had betted--first candy and toys, later cash--on anything and everything. Who could spit the farthest, which windup car could go the fastest, who could carry more groceries, what sports team would win, where would they move next, and when. The last of these was the most popular, the stakes at their highest, and as a pair of army brats, it was an oft-coming wager. _

_Since most of the bets weren't detrimental, and some were chore motivators (the groceries one for instance) Terra and Brion's parents never really minded the bets their children had. _

_Of course, they never did find out that the bets weren't restricted to just the siblings. Allured by the prospect of getting more stuff, the kids at school quickly joined in the betting jamboree, with Terra and Brion playing Bookie for their respective grades. And every new school was just another sea of wallets, waiting to be opened. Sometimes they lost, and sometimes they won. Regardless, the hoards kept by the brother and sister always grew bigger._

_Then Brion wasn't there anymore. In a way, keeping the betting ring open was Terra's way of being close to her brother. There was never a time that she rattled off the odds that she didn't think of Brion. And the brown leather betting book that he had given to her as a gift never left her purse._

_And so, her status as a Bookie followed her wherever she went. As could be expected though, it often caused her trouble. But never so much as when she had first joined the Titans._

_It had been normal enough to start with, new kid at new school, but it was when the Rex, the pet Emperor scorpion of Mr. Rancid's health class escaped from its terrarium that Terra caught the clique's attention. It hadn't really been a big deal, the little bugger had simply crawled unnoticed up the wall next to its cage and onto the roof._

_But when it accidentally fell onto Charlene Darnell's desk and snapped into striking position, everybody noticed. _

_For her part, Charlene did the right thing by staying completely still, although it might have been from terror, so wide were the teen's eyes. And they got even wider when Rex came closer to her desk, frozen in the motion of taking notes._

_It had been no more than two inches away when a tan rock streaked with red and brown slammed into the poisonous arachnid and effectively crushed it. Fortunately for Charlene, whenever Terra Markov saw an interesting looking rock, she put it in her purse. Even more fortunately, Terra Markov had a good aim._

_Charlene displayed her gratitude for the next few weeks by baking every delicious recipe she had for her "rescuer."_

_Who had received two weeks detention for killing Mr. Rancid's pet, cut to four days by the principal since it was the teacher's fault his scorpion died anyway._

_All of the Titans, who at that time comprised of Richard, Vic, Bee, Gar, and Raven, had been in that class (mandatory attendance for Sophomores), and were duly impressed._

_Terra was a Titan in a matter of hours. And was dating Garfield and had established her reputation as a Bookie in a matter of days._

_And in a matter of weeks, had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend and made the stupidest mistake of her young life._

_Now, any person who's ever been to school and wasn't exactly on the A-list will tell you that those who _are_ on said list do _not _like to get shown up. And the Titans constantly showed them up. _

_Normally, any other enemy would be easily destroyed by some good dirt. Whether they found it or faked it, one good juicy piece of reputation-destroying gossip would be all it took to put any wannabe loser out of the running. But the Titans were different. They were all a bunch of freakin do-gooders! Faking the rumors didn't work either, because no one believed that the Titans did or would do any of the things said. And even if there _was_ any skeletons in the closet, every last one of those kids wont say a peep about themselves, or each other, to anyone. Anyone except those in their little circle._

_So when word got out that Terra Markov was not very happy with her new friends, Angelika Kofas saw her chance. She was every person's cherished nightmare of the popular evil dictator of a school. Chestnut haired, yellow-green eyes, knockout body, heart stopping face, and twisted malicious heart, Angelika hated that little group for a variety of reasons. She was a good student, a star on her Volley Ball team, did not take pranks well, and could get any man she wanted. _

_Raven, Bee, Gar, Vic, and especially Richard had snubbed each one of these talents or traits, deliberately (or at least that's how she saw it)._

_But Richard was her biggest target. She had actually condescended to notice and even _ask out_ that insanely hot (and rich , can't forget rich) hunk of man, and he turned her down. She-Angelika Kofas, Goddess of the 11th grade, was turned down by some Sophmore so-called Titan! The humiliation of it all! She was laughingstock of all her friends!! Only vengeance would soothe the vanity in her wounded, black heart._

_This was where Terra came in._

_A grand. A whole grand. One thousand beautiful bucks was the wager for the bet Angelika proposed. _

_The bet?_

_That Terra couldn't get dirt on each Titan. The kind that, in Angelika's hands, would destroy them once and for all._

_Terra agreed. You see, the entire fight had been about a secret she had told Garfield, a secret that Richard, being Robin, had figured out. Unfortunately, Terra hadn't known this, and thus the can of worms was opened._

_So with the vengeance of someone betrayed, and with the greed of your standard Bookie, Terra set out to destroy those who used to be her friends._

_She won the bet. It took a while, but finally, with the discovery of Raven's diary from a few years back, Terra had the last bit of information she needed to break their clean standings and earn her money._

_But this all changed when she picked the lock of the small black book and read what was within. Everything, all the secrets, all the stories, all the gossip she had on the other Titans, they were all bad in their own rights, but this…this was absolutely devastating. As much as Terra detested Raven…there was no way she could go through with this now. The things she learned about the young woman's past…what happened to her when her father was around…these were secrets meant to be taken to the grave._

_And that is what was said in the letter Gar found left by his little blonde betrayer in his mailbox, along with the diary, with another note taped to it, requesting that he not read it, and please, _please_, put it back and make sure Raven _never_ finds out, because it would drive her over the edge._

_The letter, though, told in detail everything Terra had said, done, and found out since they had that fight. She left nothing out, save what she knew about Raven. She asked him to show it to the other Titans, and begged each of them for forgiveness _

_She also wrote that she was going to meet Angelika that night and tell her the deal was off._

_In her rage, the Queen Bee of Jump City High School pushed the young Bookie off her two story balcony. Angelika was sent to jail for attempted murder, and Terra was in a coma for 6 months, 9 days, and 34 minutes. _

_She literally woke up a changed person. Never had she felt such a need to make things right. _

_At first though, she had thought that cutting off her ties to the Titans would be the best option, and she even faked amnesia to do it._

_But with Gar's constant efforts to re-ingratiate her into the Titans and "bring her memory back", Terra eventually realized that even though things changed, it didn't always have to be for the worst._

_So, she kept on being a Bookie, though on a less grander or sinister scale. "I guess I'll never be able to give it up," she had told Gar one day, "Its like Tack and Field, I've always done it, and I'm really good at it, although I guess you cant really medal in setting up bets."_

_And yes, she would bet on herself too. And on her friends. Especially _within _her friends; the stakes were always sky high with those guys, particularly when it was about Richard and Starfire._

_Lately though, her little brown betting book was getting a real workout lately from all places, most being about when those two would get discharged, and if they were really together (Terra decided until the first was closed before she revealed the other). _

_The other leading bet, however, was the speculation as to when Robin and Flame would come back on the scene. The crime fighters' presence--or lack thereof--had been a huge subject of gossip for the masses, all wondering why their famed heroes had suddenly gone AWOL._

_Terra had some suspicions, but kept them to herself. In the meantime, she kept her day job._

_Jump City was the most lucrative place she had lived in yet._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

_Wally, like Terra, hadn't bothered to hide the feelings he had about his best friends being hurt. Unlike Terra, however, her did care, a lot. _

_Ever since he had discovered that running was fun, Wally West would jog a few miles every morning, rain or shine. Followed promptly by going home and eating half the food in his fridge and pantry. _

_Now, he still ran, but this time, it was to the hospital, and the cafeteria staff were all soon well aware of the redhead's legendary metabolism._

_After replacing the calories he had lost, Wally traveled three floors up (using the stairs, of course), and hung out with Rich, Star, and Raven, who always seemed to be a permanent fixture at the place. _

_Wally was every hospital patient's dream visitor, somebody who wasn't overbearing with concerned questions or using thinly veiled and often useless tact to ask the same questions. With him, visits were always casual and cheerful, Wally speaking of things that he thought they'd find interesting, treating them like they weren't sitting on bedpans in a rapidly deteriorating room (although he did sort of wonder about that). As far as anyone would know, his friends' current states were normal occurrences, not remarkable or worrisome in any way. _

_He was so disarming, in fact, that his little surreptious gathering of information on their health was barely noticed. _

_After this, he would run over to his high school. _

_And be mobbed. It seemed that every single person at Jump City High School wanted to know the status of the most popular students who attended there. Whether they wanted the information for bets, gossip, or genuine concern, it didn't matter. Wally answered all questions quickly and efficiently, meanwhile trying to attend to other business, like _schoolwork_._

_Another, far more important one, was his girlfriend. _

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_He had moved from Star City to Jump City at the final month of summer before Junior year and had planned on visiting his longtime friend Richard. Both of their surrogate fathers were business partners, and the two had hit it off from the beginning. This was great, because knowing that he would already have one friend in his new home made him feel better about leaving his old one behind._

_So, the second day in the new city, Wally decided to go for a run. There were three reasons behind this; one was to explore the area and find the best jogging routes. Second was just for the sake of running. Three though, was for him to find a good gym. On the days when weather or other events prevented cross country travel, it was nice to have a place where a treadmill waited for him. There were at least three within five miles, and he intended to check them out._

_He never made it past the first one. It wasn't particularly glamorous, in fact it was geared toward the lower and middle classes, but it was clean, and the running equipment was fully functional. So, when he had reached the halfway point of his normal running distance, Wally stopped to rest and buy a snack of Powerade, some Skittles and a package of salt and vinegar chips._

_On his way back, he paused mid-munch as he passed the gymnastics room. Like the rest of the gym, it was small, and since most people didn't take gymnastics, it was noticeably under-maintained._

_But the slender girl doing an insane amount of flips and twists on the beaten floor made the red haired runner forget about everything else._

_The way she moved, so graceful, with absolute confidence, almost in slow motion as she cart wheeled into a series of back handsprings ending in a flawless tuck._

_She raised her arms in triumph to an imaginary audience and brushed a strand of wavy bubblegum pink hair back to her low hanging ponytail, then proceeded to what seemed to be the final part of her routine, a series of twirls and stretches, ones that made Wally decide that a cold shower was in order._

_Hey, _you_ try watching a girl do a backbend wearing a purple sports bra and navy jogging pants without getting…flustered._

_The next time he saw her, it was while she was shoplifting a necklace from an antiques store. It was a pretty bauble, one that would match her perfectly; a large pink jewel in a gold setting hanging from two black strips of material. And she was waiting for the opportune moment to snitch it. _

_All this he saw from the Nike outlet adjacent to it, right as he was about to buy some new sneakers. He saw the look of triumph in her eyes as she successfully placed the pendant in her purse without being noticed, and her seemingly nonchalant air as she puttered about the little shop before choosing a small silver beaded bracelet and purchasing it. Even though he was a good boy by nature, Wally had to admit he was impressed with how adept she was at stealing._

_But that didn't mean he was going to let her actually _keep _it._

_Later on, when Jen was alone and a safe difference away from blame, she grinned and decided to go a bit dramatic as she allowed as sinister chuckles escaped her lips._

_"Its mine," she gloated aloud as she plunged her hand into her purse, "Its all mine! I-" she cut off as her small pale hand met something that was soft and smooth and _not_ a necklace._

_It was a red rose, in full bloom. Attached to it was a note that had a brief note written in a bold, messy hand._

You seem more like the Flowers than Jewelry type anyway.

From your soon to be Obvious Admirer.

_Wally, who was behind a car, out of her sight, grinned as he heard an enraged scream echo through the relatively vacant parking lot._

_But as she stormed into his line of view and made her way down the row, kicking cars and setting off alarms, he noticed that the rose didn't leave her hand._

_His note, on the other hand…well, does the word "confetti" pretty well sum it up?_

_Their paths next crossed at a carwash being held by the cheerleaders to raise money for their uniforms for the upcoming school year, and the little klepto was stealing once again. In addition to the car washing, some of the pretty, peppy girls were selling various good-luck charms. What Jen snatched up as she passed was a black rabbit's paw, taking advantage of the distraction Garfield had unknowingly caused by screaming out against the cruelty of killing animals for their feet. She had snickered when some of the cheerleaders doused him in cold hose water, causing a louder, more girlish, scream to emit from the animal activist._

_So had he._

_When, once again, she was away from incrimination and in the parking lot, he decided to announce his presence. "Need a little luck?" he called out, leaning against a Firebird, the coolest car in the vicinity._

_Looking unruffled, she snorted at the little keychain she held, "Its only a myth. Who are you?"_

_"Wally West, just moved here from Star City."_

_Her pink eyes narrowed, "You one of Grayson's friends?" _

_He studied his nails smugly, "One of his best."_

_"You're a Titan then." it was a statement._

_"Sure am."_

_"Aren't you gonna turn me in? Its what your new do-gooder friends would do."_

_"It's a 1.99 severed foot, not exactly worth getting busted for. Besides, I thought I'd get to know you better first." He smiled charmingly, and refrained from mentioning that he had paid for the little trinket before chasing after her._

_Jen rolled her eyes and puffed out a disdainful breath._

_"So why do you steal things anyway?" he pushed off the Firebird and walked toward her, "You have money." Her head tilted in suspicion, and he allowed his blue eyes to run unabashedly down her form, taking in the dark, stylish, designer clothes she was wearing. "Clothes like that aren't cheap, and they aren't exactly the type you can walk out of a store with and an alarm doesn't go off."_

_Her arms crossed and annoyance passed her features at his logic, "What do you know?"_

_"I know you're better than stealing stupid good luck charms from cheerleaders." his eyes got large and pleading, "They _need_ their uniforms!"_

_Against their owners will, the thin, pink lips twitched, but the cat-slitted eyes narrowed, "Oh, so you're not a snitch, just a proxy conscience! You're wasting your time Jiminy; I'm sure Grayson has told you that much."_

_Indeed he had. Soon after Wally had left the gym, his new membership card tucked safely into his wallet, he ran to his friend's mansion of a house, one, he noted with amusement, was pretty much identical to the one in Gotham._

_After enthusiastic greetings and slaps on the back (and Bruce's silent but plaintive "why me?" at the prospect of _another_ Titan to deal with), the friends hung out for a while, and the subject of the pretty pink-haired girl was brought up. Richard almost exploded._

_Jennifer McAllen was, in his humble opinion, a brilliant, devious, malicious, kleptomaniacal waste of air and skin._

_And many other things in that vein._

_So, Wally decided that it wasn't the wisest choice to tell his biased friend that he had decided to "turn her from the dark side."_

_Which was why he now grinned as he replied, "Let _me_ be the judge of that." _

_Her laughter was spiteful, mocking. "So what, you're going to keep on ambushing me with little moral speeches?"_

_He flashed her a mischievous grin and, turning, started to walk away. "Yep."_

_Her laughter cut off behind him, and he longed to see her expression, "You're kidding."_

_This time he did look over his shoulder, "Oh, I didn't give a lady red roses unless I'm absolutely serious."_

_Fortunately, he had managed to duck behind a car when a black rabbit's paw rocketed toward him._

_He was not so fortunate, however, the day after lockers had been assigned to the students of the new school year. Since they were given out according to the location nearest Homeroom, then alphabetically, it was logical that Jen wouldn't be near either of her fellow gang members. But it didn't really bother her, not having two boys snooping through her things would be refreshing. Not that it mattered much, they were constantly hanging around her anyway. That is, when they weren't ditching. Unlike Jen, neither Gizmo or Mammoth believed that a government-provided education would take them anywhere. But Jen knew that knowledge was sometimes worth more than the most valuable jewel, and there was no chance of it being taken away. Besides, Madame Rouge was a well-educated woman, and that was enough for Jen._

_Though, when she had opened her new storage unit, and a load of red roses waterfalled out, Jen violently wished that they had ditched that day and gone to the movies or something, instead of standing right next to her, jaws resting on the floor. They were not alone; Jen's face at the time was pinker than her hair and growing ever redder._

_But her mortification was complete when Gizmo picked up a note, stark white amongst the red-and-green, and in his high-pitched, disbelieving voice, read, "_I've judged that you are anything but a waste of time, Fair Lady. From Your Obvious Admirer, AKA Jiminy Cricket._" _

_There was a shattering silence…then the most hysterical outburst of laughter in JCHS history._

_All the blood in the delinquent's body seemed to gather itself in her face._

_In a tall pine outside, a cat slowly making its way to a bird's nest, only to start and fall from the limb as a barbaric bloodthirsty scream echoed from the building. The birds in the nest vacated instantly, and several car alarms went off simultaneously._

_Later on, when Jen was being led off the premises in handcuffs, there was a large smile on her face. _

_For she had never felt more satisfaction in her life, than in the moment she broke a "Caution: Wet Floor" sign…over Wally West's head._

_Before the exploding white star of pain faded to darkness, the concussed redhead made a mental note: _Sue whoever makes wet floor signs. They cause more pain than they prevent.

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_"I cant afford to go back to Juvie," were the words that greeted Wally when he first woke up, "So I made a deal. I'm going to help you out until you get back on you're feet." Her tone implied that this task was comparable to having every tooth in her head pulled._

_If he had been able, the incapacitated runner would've danced a jig. "Oh you can tell me the truth Jen; you just wanted to spend time with me right? Get to know me better, see what makes me tick."_

_"I _can _rip out your morphine drip y'know."_

_Regardless of whatever motive Jen may have had when she made the deal, the important thing was that she held up her part of it. She talked to her unwanted admirer and conscience, brought him his assignments, took him to PT to make sure his motor functions weren't compromised._

_And the more she got to know him, the more he…annoyed her. He always wanted to talk about _her_, which to most people, wouldn't be a bad thing, but it was the _subjects_ he chose. Her past, her present, her future. Why had she chosen the "Dark Side"? Was it what she had hoped for? Did she believe it was all she could ever do?_

_He knew the questions he asked her were uncomfortable, and that he was undermining philosophies she believed in for most of her life, but he couldn't stop, nor did he want to. She was so…underappreciated, so wasted doing the bad guy thing. She had more worth than she thought she did, that she didn't need to hurt people to get respect. He wanted. _needed_, to show her that._

_But when he heard through a main branch of the gossip grapevine, namely, Karen Beecher, that the Hive Gang was going to try to get recruited by Madame Rouge, who was quickly becoming well-known in Jump City, and was already heinously famed in Star City, he knew that he needed to save the girl he was starting to fall in love with from herself. _

_The nickname he had earned in Star City, Impulse, had seemed more appropriate than ever as he decided to undertake that task single-handedly._

_Later, when he found himself captured while trying to find his way into the hideout, and then getting shocked into delirium by a cattle prod for struggling, it stuck him that he probably should've thought this whole thing through._

_When he finally gained a little more coherence, he noticed that he was in a small, dirty, windowless room. He also took in the short black hair, form-fitting red suit with severe black gloves and boots, and merciless blue eyes of his captor. Then she started speaking, deep, oily words spoken with a thick French accent. Jeering, savage words; words that cut. Mocking words he tried hopelessly to drown out, to ignore, to resist speaking against, for he knew that such an action was what the evil woman wanted, and it would be met with cruel retribution. But when she announced that he was going to be killed, by the hand of "Jinx", a new subordinate of hers that needed to prove herself, and Jennifer McAllen walked into the room, he did speak, his words low and slurring, but clear._

_"Is it everthing you dreamed of, Jinx?_ Do you have all the respect you wanted?_" _

_The pink-haired teenager hadn't replied, her cat-slitted eyes still wide with shock, both at seeing him there, and at the knowledge that she was expected to kill him._

_And looking back into his blue, blue eyes, pained, weary, and good, her own eyes looked like they were glowing as she heard her own voice reply, "_No."

_And a large black boot with purple laces made contact with his head._

_The next thing he had known, he was waking up, laid out in the back seat of a moving car, one being driven by a battle-haggard-looking delinquent. _

_"Thanks," he whispered with a weak grin._

_As usual, she didn't seem fazed at his sudden gratitude. "You know you just destroyed my chances at ever being somebody in the criminal world, not to mention my reputation. I'm still not sure why I decided you were worth that."_

_"People do crazy things when they're in love Jennifer."_

_"Don't make me turn this car around Wallace." He grinned again and reached into it jacket pocket, hoping it was still there. When Jen stopped at a red light, she felt something tap on her shoulder, and she turned to find Wally sitting up unsteadily, holding out a small darkly wrapped package. "For you."_

_She rolled her eyes and took the box, "From my Obvious Admirer?"_

_"Or Jiminy Cricket, either will do."_

_"You're an idiot." But she still unwrapped the present, carefully and without tearing the paper, Wally noted with amusement._

_The mirth grew at the confused look on the turncoat villainess as she opened the box to reveal…a receipt? But on closer inspection, it showed that it had been printed when someone had purchased a necklace from a certain antiques store…_

_Underneath the paper, of course, was the necklace itself._

_Jen didn't seem to notice the light had turned green. Neither had Wally, who was maneuvering himself, shakily, to the front seat. Jen waited for him to get settled, then asked a question in a quiet tone he had never heard before._

_"Why did you do that?" Wally knew she wasn't just talking about the amulet resting in her pale palm. He looked at her with a quiet, serious, smile, blue eyes looking into her own with something she had never seen directed at her: gentle, honest, adoration._

_"Like I said: 'People do crazy things…' "_

_The light turned yellow._

_Not even beginning to know an appropriate response, Jen fell to her default sarcasm, "So incurring the wrath of a notorious villain, making me save you, and then giving me a necklace I once tried to steal is your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?"_

_"You have to admit its original."_

_Jen's free hand shot forward._

_Yellow became red. Again, neither teen cared. _

_This time though, it was because Jennifer McAllen was kissing Wally West with a fervor that nearly made him pass out again. _

_And slowly, she released him, then drew back and fastened the pendant around her neck calmly as he watched through glazed eyes._

_"I accept," she answered and pressed on the gas pedal, for the light had turned green once more. _

_And as the car pulled forward, a loud victory cheer emitted from it._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_Now, a couple years later, Wally still felt glad every time he saw his girl, so glad he had chosen that gym, remained persistent, taken a chance. Jen had well and truly left the "Dark Side", and was now by his side._

_…Sheesh, he was starting to sound like a Lifetime Movie. Must recover less sappy side…_

_Anyway, he was doing his best to keep his girlfriend from having a total meltdown, and in the meantime he was counting the days til his friends were discharged._

I hate waiting,_ he thought impatiently._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_Also worth mentioning was that despite the policies on when visiting was and was not to take place for those outside of immediate family, Wally was also able to get around these rules. He and Raven both seemed to have a talent for getting into places they weren't supposed to._

_But while Raven's technique was unknown, it was pretty obvious why Wally was allowed to do what he wanted at Jump City Hospital._

_The boy really was too charming for his own good._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For Dr. Penelope Smith, it had been informative…

_At first, the treatment of her two patients had been going smoothly, despite the Dean of Medicine's initial protest that an Oncologist should treat two people who did _not_ have cancer._

_However, with some determined arguing and a little bribery (which Mr. Wayne had been happy to help with), most of Smith's patients were referred to other doctors, and she was given free reign with Mr. Grayson and Ms. Anders. Both were healing remarkably well, particularly Richard, who was out of bed and participating in PT within 2 weeks. Richard didn't take well to being an invalid, she learned. _

_Then they encountered a problem._

_As it turns out, the shackles that bound Starfire had hurt her ankles, but it had gone unnoticed since she had either flown or been wheeled wherever she had needed to go. It wasn't until she had tried to pass the time with painting her toenails that the alien noticed something wrong. An ache deep within her ankle, pulling, almost tearing, and very painful if she tried to twist it or rub it away._

_Initially unworried about it, the Princess believing it to be merely a _b'nut, or _sprain, it wasn't until she idly mentioned it to Raven that Smith found out. The oncologist wanted to whap herself with an IV pole for not doing a more thorough physical on the Tamaranian girl. _

_Regardless, Star's ankles were hurt, and X-rays as well as MRI's showed that surprise! Starfire had an anatomy that was pretty different from a human's._

_(The radiologist nearly had a pulmonary embolism when he saw 9 stomachs on the PET scan)_

_So, with no one currently on Earth qualified to treat a Tamaranian, Galfore contacted the _G'vernores_ of Tamaran--who were sort of like the Royal Advisors in a Monarchy--and demanded a physician to tend to the injured young Royal._

_On finding out that said Royal had managed to survive torture at the behest of a Psion machine constructed by Yenler, had defeated her traitorous sister, and had gained a new strange power, one was quickly sent._

_Turns out, Starfire had sustained more damages and changes than Smith had originally discovered. But by some forgiving grace of God, they weren't life threatening, and had been taken care of with only a little trouble._

_The best part, though, was that the Tamaranian doctor had agreed to teach Smith--a lover of foreign culture--about Tamaran's medicine and way of life, as long as she would reciprocate with the same kind of information. He had even left her a communications device so they could keep in touch._

_It was only after he had left that Penelope learned from Starfire that she was now held in high regard by the Tamaranian Empire for saving their Princess' life, and had been given a great honor of being the equivalent of an Ambassador, teaching and being taught about their respective planets._

_On hearing this, Penelope resisted the urge to go to the shop where her car was and giving the lazy Mechanic she hired a big fat smooch for taking so long to fix her car. _

_"Whod've thought having your AC go out would bring such awesome results?" she enthused to her now-favorite patients._

_Still, it didn't stop her from asking that lazy grease monkey to get a move on. Walking to work wasn't particularly fun. And public transportation _sucked_._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For Galfore, it had been a mixture of elation, sadness, horrifying, and delegating…lots and lots of delegating.

_The reason for his happiness was obvious: His _Bumgorf _was alive and had been granted a new power with which she could protect herself._

_The reason for Galfore's sadness was also somewhat obvious: His other _Bumgorf _was dead, and at the unwilling hand of her sister no less. Not that he blamed Koriand'r for it, hardly, it was simply that he had loved the beautiful, hot tempered heir to the throne as his own daughter. Despite everything that she had done, she was still the girl he had protected and cared for; he had still raised her._

_So naturally, albeit quietly, he mourned her loss._

_The reason for the _K'norfka's _horror, though, was probably the most obvious of all: _

_Koriand'r, his little Kori…had _tied herself._ To an _earthling_ of all in the universe. An earthling that, while a brave and fierce warrior, was not royalty, ambassador, or of any other status that would traditionally be a worthy suitor for a Princess to tie her mind, heart, and affection to._

_Not that it should truly matter. Affection could, and often did, transcend race and status, and he had always told Kori to do what was right in her heart. But as figurative father figure, Galfore felt it his duty to feel suitably dismayed that his little _Bumgorf_ was no longer little._

_Not that he showed this when he was fighting the _G'vernoers_ when _they_ expressed their disapproval over the two young teens' binding._

_As for the matter of Koriand'r choosing to remain on Earth with whom she had tied herself to, the _G'vernores_ skipped disapproval and went straight to active condemnation of this act._

_It was all Galfore could do to prevent the enraged royal council from having the physician they sent to bodily bring their AWOL Princess back._

_One day though, they stopped. Completely and totally. And not only that, they made a proposal: that Starfire stay on Earth as an Ambassador of Tamaran, _with _her chosen tie, and Galfore return to Tamaran and become their new Grand Ruler._

_Galfore had the unrelenting (and entirely accurate) feeling that Kori had something to do with the _G'vernores'_ startling change of heart. And __when the Tamaranian physician had finished treating his princess, he was not alone when he returned to the red and white planet. A heavy-hearted, soon to be coronated Grand Ruler accompanied him._

_Galfore had hugged his _Bumgorf_ and bid her goodbye, praying that X'hal would remain with her and protect her._

_And if X'hal couldn't do it, he was sure Richard could. If not for the affection he had for Kori, than for the terror he had for Galfore._

_When a seven foot tall warrior nanny tells you to take care of his surrogate daughter, you had better follow orders. _

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For Kitten, it had been entirely unexciting…

_She was too busy with her new boyfriend Fang to care about "Richie-poo."  
_

_…_

_…Yeah, that's about it._

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For Raven, it had been interesting, if somewhat embarrassing…

_Of all the people who visited Starfire and Richard during their stay at the hospital, Raven was the most frequent. In fact, Allen, the orderly who took care of the patients when Dr. Smith wasn't around, set up a comfy chair, got a hospital coffee mug, stocked up on herbal teas, and requisitioned an all-access pass for the hospital library in anticipation of her visits._

_Something she didn't fail to thank him for, causing a slight flush to appear on his cheeks._

_During the numerous visits, a routine was developed. Raven would first check on their injuries, then sneak a look at their charts to see what medications they had received. On finding those out, she selected remedies that would not interfere with the hospital-administered drugs, and give Star and Richard her own treatments._

_Starfire's reactions to these treatments were for a large part what had made Raven's experience through this period of time interesting as well as embarrassing._

_For instance, hollyhock roots made her go blind, which was what happened when Tamaranians had a severe allergic reaction, much like when an Earthling's throat closes after eating a nut._

_After some things got broken by a terrified Tamaranian (you try going suddenly blind and not freak out), frantic apologizing on Raven's behalf, and having Allen administer some epinephrine, Raven made sure to let her friend only have small amounts of whatever she was going to give before administering the full dose._

_This proved beneficial when Raven gave her a mere teaspoon of a rust-colored paste made of a mixture of evergreen roots and the tops of tansies._

_Watching Starfire go through a phase of manic depression is not good for anyone, especially Star, who cried for 3 and a half hours straight. _

_Richard, who didn't leave her side the entire time, was nearly crying himself as he reassured her that he _did_ love her and _didn't _think her an alien freak and _wasn't_ going to leave her all alone, as well as trying to convince her that her people _weren't _going to banish her, she was _not _a worthless _Troq, _Galfore _would not_ turn on her, and it _was not _her fault both her parents and Blackfire had died._

_Thereafter, when the effects had worn off and the alien Princess fell into an exhausted sleep, her boyfriend nearly killed his Gothic female friend for making Starfire miserable enough to want to die. _

_And Raven felt so bad about it, she almost would've let him._

_Then there were the effects of Ginger root and Cedar berries. By themselves, they didn't do anything, but together…lets just say that it's a wonder the hospital hadn't run out of food, and Starfire looked about 5 months pregnant when all nine of her stomachs were bulging._

_And she learned to never, NEVER, let Starfire have that thin, aromatic tonic made from things that were her special secret. _

_The Princess had been sitting with Richard when she sampled that particular concoction, and about 5 minutes later, had turned and started whispering in Richard's ear, meanwhile practicing her acupressure on his left arm. Raven wasn't exactly sure what all Starfire had said, but judging from the variety of colors and expressions that crossed Richard's face that day, she was pretty sure she didn't want to know._

_But despite these many setbacks, and though they couldn't be absolutely sure, it was entirely possible that Raven's herbs were what had made Starfire's unnoticed ailments not life-threatening._

_Which leads to the _other_ reason why this whole experience had been interesting. And embarrassing._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_Richard and Starfire sat on opposite sides of the bed, as far away from each other as they could go. Starfire's face was a mask of indifference, save her eyes, which glared piercingly at her boyfriend, whose blue eyes glittered defiantly back. With a fierce look, Richard laid is challenge down. Star's eyes narrowed with suspicion, and she glanced down , only to have them raise again, only now, their was a streak of vicious triumph in her eyes._

_"You, Boy of Wonder," she hissed, "are a Liar." _

_"That an official declaration, Your Highness?" Richard shot back, though gone now was the defiance, replaced by a cool unreadable arrogance that drove the Tamaranian princess insane._

_"Yes!" she declared, unable to take it any longer, and flipped the cards over._

_Where three 7's should have lain, a 10, a Queen, and a 2 were there instead._

_"Liar!" bellowed the alien Royal , eyes steaming with green fire._

_Richard groaned and pulled the mound of glossed paper rectangles to him, all the while shooting looks of loathing at his vanquisher, who returned the look with a vengeance._

_After a long moment of this stalemate, Richard's lips twitched, and Starfire immediately snorted into laughter, her boyfriend following seconds after._

_"See?" he gasped, "isn't it better this way?"_

_"Oh yes Richard," Star giggled, "Playing the card games with the seriousness of a Snorthian Council Meeting is most fun!"_

_A knock, unfortunately, ruined the moment._

_"C-come in," Richard invited, and Dr. Smith walked into the patient's room, looking nervous._

_"Uh, Starfire? You have a…visitor?" she half asked, then gestured behind her, at a man coming through the door._

_"_Wessei'r!" _Starfire exclaimed, and the man immediately brought his right fist to his chest and sank to his knee._

_"_Psk'ola Koriand'r_, _Nub'lot_," rumbled the man respectfully._

_"_Ooli_,_ Wessie'r," _responder Star kindly, and the man rose gracefully, then looked from the confused Smith back to his Princess questioningly._

_"It is alright Dr. Smith," said Starfire, "Wessie'r is here to help with my injuries."_

_Comprehension rose like sunrise over the Oncologist's features, "Oh, Ok. When the guy came in speaking babble and showing a picture of you to the Front Desk, I didn't know if he was friend or foe."_

_"He is friend, I can assure you," responded Star certainly._

_"OK, I'll get out of the way then;" she backed out through the door, uncomfortably aware that her patient's "visitor" had his eyes trained on her every move, "if you need me, don't hesitate to call."_

_Soon as the door closed, the Tamaranian man turned back to Starfire, _"K'ule fed ussta d'airn?"

"D'ain juk-nublat fed V'tirneryan K'nerfda." _Star explained, "_Jin fed s' wycli'kerg missta'r."

I have to learn more Tamaranian sometime_, thought Richard in frustration._

_As if reading his thoughts, Starfire turned to her confused boyfriend, "Richard, this is the physician the _G'vernores_ have sent. His name is Wessei'r, which means Farwind in English, and he and I were pleasant acquaintances when I still resided on Tamaran."_

_Richard strangled the urge to ask _exactly _what "pleasant acquaintances" meant, and instead brought his own fist to his heart. _"Nub'lot_, _Wessie'r_," he greeted in the little Tamaranian he did know and quickly appraised the man who would help heal Star._

_Standing over six feet tall, with the usual green eyes and rib-length chestnut red hair of Tamaranians, he wasn't particularly special. His physique was stringy, as though his body was trying to catch up with his height, and his features were nice, but plain, aside from an enormous set of ears and a scar at the corner of his mouth; souvenir from some long ago fight. He had an air of humility about him, as well as an underlying sense of dignity. The detective in Richard quickly deduced that this man worked around nobles often, but was not a noble himself. _

_He also seemed likable, with a calm air that had the Earth-born teenager be set back to ease. _

_"_Nub'lot Richard," _Wessie'r responded, then rattled off something too quickly for Richard to follow, but he guessed it was good, if another fist-to-heart gesture directed to him was any indication. He turned to Star for the rest._

_"He thanks you for caring for me and for saving my life," she translated distractedly, then asked Wessie'r something, a furrow between her tiny brows._

_Wessie'r replied mildly, seeming like he was explaining something, and gestured to Richard towards the end of his speech. _

_Star turned red._

_Totally, completely, fire engine, Sonic straw, grading pen, red._

_Richards eyebrows raised,. "What is it Star?"_

_At the sound of his voice, Star turned to him, but he noticed that she would not meet his eye as she spoke, "Wessie'r does not know English."_

_"So?"_

_"He needs someone to teach him, and I…cannot. As a Princess, there are laws against me teaching another Tamaranian a language when they had the opportunity to learn from one indigenous to the language."_

_"So you need me to?" The brilliant flush that had spread itself across her cheeks reinforced itself with a vengeance, and spread to her ears and neck._

_Richard got the feeling something bigger was going on. _I mean, _he thought, _she's embarrassed about needing me to teach him? That doesn't make any sense. _"Starfire…I don't think I'd mind teaching Wessie'r English."_

_"Richard, I believe you would."_

_The teen's mind was whirling with possible explanations, "…Why?" he asked suspiciously._

_The look on Starfire's face was comparable to if she had just found out she had to give up mustard. "The people of my planet are able to learn any language instantaneously through lip contact."_

Click._ The look on Richard's face on hearing this was comparable to if he had found out he had to do exactly what he was now: kiss a guy._

_"…HE-_ELLLLNO!!_"_

_"To my people lip contact only means a transfer of knowledge!"_

_"Wait, was THAT why you kissed me when we first met?! To learn English?!" _

_Star smiled sheepishly as she fiddled with her hair._

_The Prince of Jump City's ego now reached nonexistence._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_While Koriand'r and the Earth boy quarreled, Wessie'r looked about the room his Princess had been residing in, keeping an eye, however, on the bickering couple, in case one would need saving from the other._

_He also studied the boy his Princess had chosen to be tied with. Unlike a majority of the _G'vernores,_ Wessie'r had not been horrified on learning Koriand'r had a romantic tie with an Earthling; only intrigued. The And'r family had been close to they Sie'r family for many generations, for the simple reason that those of And'r tended to get injured often, and those of Sie'r were the ones who healed those injuries._

_Koriand'r was no exception, in fact, she seemed to get into more injury-inducing mischief than either of her siblings. Therefore, Wessie'r and she were well acquainted, because of her constant appearances at the infirmaries. Wessie'r knew Koriand'r was not one to give such deep affection frivolously, and she would not choose to tie herself to anyone unworthy of such an honor. Besides, it was not his place to judge._

_He still could try to see what attracted Koriand'r to this Richard though._

_At the moment, however, he couldn't understand what Richard was so agitated about. Wessie'r needed to learn the language, Koriand'r was not permitted to teach him the language, Richard knew the language. Where was the problem? Did he not want to share his knowledge with him? It did not seem like Koriand'r to tie herself to one so selfish. Was the actual transference? But Galfore had assured him that humans exchanged physical contact freely, almost frivolously, so that mustn't be it. Perhaps it was the gender issue, some Tamaranians did prefer to partake in the transference of knowledge with those of the opposite gender, even himself. But seeing as there were no Earth females present allowed to teach him the language, he would have to make due with what he had._

_And as if X'hal had heard him, a young woman walked in. _

_Everything about her was odd to the Tamaranian; her petite stature, the dullness of her skin, the short cut of her hair, the _color _of her hair, everything was as foreign as it was exotic. Her eyes even, were strange. Wessie'r was having a difficult time as it was seeing beings with _white_ scleri instead of green, but to see purple eyes, ones he'd seen previously owned only by Komand'r, in such a pale, human face, was surreal._

_Her clothes, too, were strange. Black oversized pants with heavy chains on them, tiny boots that reached only the ankle, and a dark blue shirt that covered the midriff, instead showing a design of the winged creatures Wessie'r had encountered gliding through the skies on this planet._

_Her manners were unusual as well. Instead of looking stunned or even frightened by his presence as the physician had, this girl gazed at him serenely and raised a delicate, oddly long, eyebrow._

_"You must be the alien doctor," she said in a bizarrely emotionless voice. _

_She was entirely peculiar; she was extremely attractive. And Wessie'r knew who she was._

_"Raven," he said, pointing at her. Her face changed minutely, and something like and unlike a smile crossed her pale lips. Lips that spoke a language Wessie'r had decided she would teach him._

_"Yes," she agreed with a nod, "Me Raven. You--OOMPH!"_

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_When Wessie'r grabbed Raven and mashed their lips together, Richard stopped mid-rant and choked on his own spit. Starfire looked ready to join him. He could only imagine what was going through Raven's mind. He sure knew what was going through his: _"Better her than me."

_After the longest second in all of history, Wessie'r released the petite teenager. Smiling, he said. "Yes. You Raven. Me alien doctor, otherwise known as Wessie'r, nice to meet you."_

_Raven dazzled look stayed for roughly two seconds, then was quickly trumped by the look to kill. Her hand shot to her purse, and the black bottle of "Anti-Creep Spray" was in her palm in an instant._

_"Raven no!" Richard intervened, out of bed and grabbing the vial away in an instant. Star was dragging Wessie'r away and speaking to him almost as quickly._

_Raven looked so murderous, her eyes had all but turned red, "You have two seconds to explain why I shouldn't drop-kick you out of the way and go after that letch."_

_"Tamaranians learn language through kissing." Raven couldn't even respond before a horrified shriek cut through the air._

_"Oh my X'hal!"_

_Suddenly Richard was sent flying across the room, only to be caught by Starfire, and Wessie'r was in front of Raven, all but groveling before her._

_"I'm so sorry Raven! I wasn't aware of what 'kissing' was nor what it means to humans! Please forgive me!" he begged as he bowed low before her, green eyes pleading for benevolence._

_Raven sighed internally, _Who can stay mad at _that_? _she thought,_ I certainly can't. English lessons learned through kissing…aliens.

_Then suddenly realizing Wessie'r was waiting for a response, she gave a tiny nod, "You're forgiven." Relieved sighs from three people resounded through the room, Wessie'r's loudest of all. "Of course," things tensed up again, "this is provided you don't do it again." Tensionless bliss resumed._

_"No need," Wessie'r reassured her, arising from his bow, "I only need to do that once, I know English now." His small brows furrowed, "But its weird; you know more languages than English."_

_Raven nodded again, "Yeah, I know English, German, Latin, Romanian, Ancient Sumerian, and Sanskrit."_

_Head scratching was now added to the mix, "Aren't most of those languages dead?"_

_"Yes."_

_For reasons unknown, Wessie'r found her straight, unashamed answer amusing, "OK." With nothing left to say, the two stared at each other comfortably._

_"Uh Wessie'r? Are you gonna take a look at Starfire or flirt with Raven?" Wessie'r's reaction was instantaneous, and he turned heel and strode to Starfire's bedside, a blush flaming his face._

_Raven, on the other hand, sent a death-glare at her so-called "friend", who smirked smugly back._

I'm gonna put cayenne in his herbs for that,_ Raven thought vengefully_

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_After that day, the rest of Wessie'r's, whose name was shortened to "Wes", stay had gone by mostly without hiccup. Having been the go-to healer for many a Noble in the past, Wessie'r's manners were perfunctory as he tended to his Princess, though Richard couldn't get used to how normally Wes spoke; he was so used to Star's language slips. She had explained that some Tamaranians picked up on the finer points of language more quickly than others, Blackfire had been one of those fortunate, while she had consistent mishaps, no matter what the language._

_Being quiet by nature, Wes didn't say too much to his patients during his stay. But he seemed to have an obvious appreciation for those with like qualities, and had taken somewhat of a shine to Raven. _

_Fortunately, he was too courteous and restrained to act on his crush, not that she would have reciprocated. So the Tamaranian physician had simply associated with her, occasionally discussing philosophy or books, but mainly learned about natural remedies, watching her in silent, amorous awe._

_The rest of his time, he was carrying out the other mission the _G'vernores_ had given him: setting up a diplomatic contact. Finding the Earth physician, Penelope Smith, a worthy candidate, he set up the communications system, observed Starfire and her tie for another few days, and returned home._

_Raven felt a mixture of regret and happiness to see him go. He was a very interesting, intelligent person, who helped her enormously with practicing her languages, and was a perfect gentleman to top it all. Her left foot did much dejected kicking and depressed slow-turning on the pad of it when he left._

_But her happiness outweighed her regret, for the immature pinhead that was "Dick" Grayson had teased her endlessly about Wessie'r and his small attraction to her. From suggestive eyebrow raisings to making sly comments that Wessie'r, to her everlasting despair, understood (she had never thought she would ever _wish_ another person had Starfire's cluenessless)._

_But, the dark teen felt an even darker satisfaction on seeing Richard's reaction when his mouth went on fire, or when his insides turned to water. The cayenne didn't make his frequent trips to the bathroom that day any more pleasant._

_Ahh, sweet, sweet revenge. _

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_"Mr. Grayson please! Any patient discharged must stay in their wheelchair until they have left the premises!"_

_Richard looked at the irritating Hospital Administrator as if he had lost his mind, "And go out and face _that," _he pointed to the paparazzi waiting outside the doors, undeterred even by the light rain falling, "looking 4 feet tall? Not on your life mister, that humiliating phase of my life is, praise God and growth hormones, _over_." And to punctuate this fact, he stood to his full height of 6'1 and stretched luxuriously. "C'mon Star," he encouraged his red haired girlfriend, who stood uncertainly, shooting apologetic looks at the Administrator._

_Who had acquired a look of desperation as he put a hand on the celebrity patient's shoulder, "Please Mr. Grayson, its _because_ of those reporters that I'm asking you to go out there in the wheelchairs. The Board of Directors have been watching me and this hospital like Big Brother, and _any_ violation of policy regarding you could mean my ass on the line."_

_Richard paused; he hadn't thought about it like that. Starfire sank back to the wheeled seat, Richard following a few moments later. The Administrator sighed in relief and motioned for nurses to push the patients through the door._

_Raven glanced down at the humbled, but still irked, Richard. "Too bad there's no cool way to ride a wheelchair," she sympathized."_

_Healed hands shot to the wheels, stopping it instantly. His blue eyes were wide, and a devilish grin was making its way across his face as the looked at the drizzling rain. "Maybe there is…" he turned to a nurse, "but we're gonna need another chair." The nurse giggled at his cheeky expression and rushed to do his bidding._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_"Good Afternoon Jump Citizens," Greeted a heavily made-up brunette holding a mike as she spoke to a camera, "It is 1:13 PM and as you can see, its raining out here. But that doesn't stop Channel 6 News or any of the other media you see behind me. As you probably know, for the past month-and-a-half, Jump City's own Prince and heir to the Wayne Enterprises throne, Richard Grayson, has been hospitalized after sustaining terrible injuries due to a motorcycle accident. But he was not alone. _

_"Kori Anders, known by her friends as Starfire, and rumored girlfriend of Mr. Grayson, has also been staying here at Jump Mercy Hospital. But I'm thankful to tell you that today, Jump City's most popular couple are being released to--"_

_"COMIN THROUGH!! MOVE IT OR LOSE IT PEOPLE!"_

_Cameras focused, recorders clicked on, pens scratched across paper, and flashbulbs exploded as Richard Grayson, Prince of Gotham City, shot out of the automatic hospital doors, wheelchair going as fast as his arms could take him. But even better, was the sight of Starfire Anders and Raven Roth came spinning after him in what was obviously a impromptu race._

_But the grins of all the media employees only grew wider as Richard slammed on his brake, hydroplaning sideways to a stop in front of the crowd, crossed his arms, and managed to look cocky from a wheelchair as he said, "Hey guys, miss me?"_

_Laughter rang through the crowd, followed quickly by questions fired at all angles. Richard seemed unfazed, but unfortunately for them, Starfire and Raven were no where near used to this kind of attention. Sensing their panic, as well as the black Cadillac pulling up with Alfred at the wheel, Richard stood up quickly and stepped in front of the intimidated girls, then raised his hands for silence. "Okay guys, I know you want some information for whatever segment or article your going to work on tonight, but _WE_ just wanna get back home. So lets compromise; four questions, then I'm going back to sleep in my _own _bed." There were a few chuckles, and Richard pointed at a person at random, "You, go for it." _

_"Quell some rumors for us Richard, are you involved with Ms Anders?"_

_He grinned, "Yes I am. And I'm the luckiest guy in the universe for it." Several cheers and shouts of owed money responded to his response, as well as another slew of questions._

_"Bup-pup-pup!!" Richard shouted over the din, "What was the deal?" He pointed to another person. "You in the back."_

_"Trent Michels, Jump Page. Pleasure to meet you Mr. Grayson."_

_"Likewise."_

_"What're your plans now that you are back in the real world?"_

_"Three words Trent: Burgers, burgers, and more burgers. All rumors regarding hospital food, horrifyingly, are true. Stay. Away. From the Stroganoff." Scattered laughter coupled with groans of agreement permeated the air as he picked another. "Give it to me."_

_"Who is the other young lady behind you Mr. Grayson?"_

_"Raven Roth, a very good friend of mine. She was a constant link to the outside world while Star and I were cut off from it. She practically lived here during our stay, so I figured it was only fitting she had to suffer through this with us. Ok last question," he scanned over the crowd, then started as he saw a familiar shock of white hair. "Rose Wilson, make it good."_

_"Nice to see you looking better Dick; Joey says hi. It would also be nice to see a kiss between you and your girlfriend." _

_Richard briefly wondered if the lights that flashed from the cameras at that suggestion could be seen from Tamaran. "And it would be nice to be Robin, but you don't see that happening to me either, do you?" Behind him Raven and Star desperately tried to squelch their laughter. "How about a real question Rose?"_

_"All right Dick, you win. This is directed to all three of you. In a nutshell, how was your stay here a Jump Mercy Hospital?"_

_The three friends exchanged glances, then faced the newsmongers with identical smirks_

_"Boring," they chorused. _

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_Ironically, the days after Richard and Star's discharge _were_ boring. That is, if you call being sworn to secrecy regarding the true identities of Gotham and Jump City's heroes, then enjoying full benefits of this knowledge dull._

_One such benefit was learning all the secret passages there were in Wayne Manor, as well as getting to explore the Batcave itself. Raven loved it; it was so gloomy and dark, she fit right in._

_Another was Richard making good on his promise and getting Bruce to teach the newest addition to their inner circle the finer points of hand to hand combat. Bruce had set his jaw and agreed, though with a reluctance that was almost palatable. _Another_ person knew the secrets of the Bat Family, another person who could be injured or tortured or used as leverage against them. The horrible screenplay of possibilities regarding one of Bruce's favorite "Titans" was nauseating. _

_Regardless, Raven now knew, there was no changing this, and the only thing left to do was empower the young woman to help herself if the need should (which he hoped would never happen)._

_That, and ground Vic from all hero-related goings on for a month. Raven's finding out was, after all, his fault._

_But the teaching of Raven Roth wasn't really as bad as Bruce made it out to be. It wasn't like he was going out of his way, after all, the Goth teen wasn't the only student he needed to train. _

_Starfire's training was main priority in the post-hospital days. From combat to hacking security systems to hotwiring cars, Starfire was getting a concentrated dose of the training Richard had received over a 10 year period. _

_But, she was delivering a little training of her own._

_After the usual classes were given: Stealth 101, Criminal Psyche 1500, Build a Better Backfire 311, ect, the Tamaranian princess, two Earth heroes, and a lone Earth ally, all tested Starfire's new gift to the limit. Every possibility was considered and tried, often resulting with a damaged training room._

_Then, Star would have a chance to put her partners through _their_ paces. Mainly by shooting low-watt star bolts at them and making them dodge like they were caught in a _very_ high stakes dodge ball game, where if you got hit, you weren't just out, you were down for the count._

_And speaking of…_

_At first, Star wasn't really able to control the power of her bolts, only after practicing for a few weeks with robots that always turned out charred at the end of the day that she learned how to manage her energy output for a specific task, be it melting a steel door or popping some popcorn. (The smell of the burnt snack still lingered in that room)_

_So, until then, Batman and his protégé decided to prepare for their new course of training. Originally, they were going to simply construct a robot to fire projectiles at them, but they new that it couldn't begin to compare with the challenge an intelligent being with random and improvisational skills could provide._

_On hearing this, Raven quietly offered her assistance._

_Now, and tell _no one_ about this, but as it turns out, Raven Roth was good at…dodge ball. Or rather, she was good at throwing things. With a lot of power. And with good aim._

_You can see where this is going right? Thought so._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_While that was going on, something else was happening…_

_Hmm, maybe not as boring as originally thought… _

_…Anyways, this particular even revolved around one thing, and one thing only._

_Richard's wardrobe._

_Or rather, lack there of._

_While being trapped at Jump Mercy, it seemed that Bee had gone a little crazy with the free reign she had had over Richards comfortable, fashionable, and expensive clothes. More than half of them were gone, transformed into crop tops, Capri pants, or canvases for girly art. Basically, into things Richard couldn't take back and wear out in public._

_The poor boy was forced to go clothes shopping, something he absolutely _hated _to do. At the moment, he and Bee weren't exactly on speaking terms. Terra set up a bet on when he would forgive his clothes-altering thief of a friend (Raven put 5 dollars on a few weeks)._

_But another, more important, but no less humorous facet of the teen's clothes had been given focus. _

_His uniform. _

_A black one piece suit (which Bruce snickeringly called a unitard) with a dull silver utility belt and armguards, and a large triangular bird insignia, dark blue, across the chest. His old hourglass-like mask was now gone in favor of a simple black strip of material, though it still had the white one-way cloth covering the eyeholes. It also seemed to sharpen his nose to a low point, giving him an appropriate resemblance to a bird. Appropriate because of the insignia he now bore, and appropriate because of the name he had taken. Raven whole-heartedly approved of the name he had finally chosen. "Nightwing" fit him perfectly._

_And the uniform seemed to fit him well too. Raven may have a boyfriend and view Richard as a brother, but she still flushed a little when she saw how the Nightwing uniform emphasized the well defined chest and arms the Robin outfit had hidden. Starfire though, had all but swooned when she saw her beau in his unquestioningly sexy outfit, then ruffled his dark, unruly, and now unspiked hair. Gone now was dangerous looking spikes, instead replaced by surprisingly long messy locks that hung by his ears and in his eyes, giving him a rather "Emo" look. Neither she nor Nightwing were especially crazy about this, as both had fairly low opinions of Emos, but there was nothing that could be done until his hair grew. _

_Starfire was excited by this, for on Tamaran, long-haired males were considered very attractive. Raven had a suspicion that this played a large role in Richard's reasoning for his new style. And if the ridiculous look on his face when Starfire decided to play with his dark follicles (which was often) was anything to go by, it seemed that Richard wasn't regretting his decision one bit._

_Raven's eyes muscles were getting a regular workout from all the eye rolling she did at the antics of the nauseatingly lovey-dovey couple._

_Oh, and on a side note, Terra and most of the Titans had made a rather decent amount of money for winning the "Are Richard and Starfire together or not?" bet. Many of the losers though, were making loud (and entirely true) protests that the Titans had known all along the real answer, and should give them back their money. The Titans' cool responses to these protests were that they should've thought of that earlier._

****

_TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT_

_Other events, big and small, had happened in during those days, and numerous wagers, equally big and small, had been made in correlation to these events. _

But right now, if her source was reliable, and past experiences had proven it was, there was currently a happening going on of massive proportions that would at long last settle an equally massive bet.

One of the many reasons Raven was currently breaking the speed law in her efforts to reach Wayne Manor was the prospect of being several hundred dollars richer.

As fast as her old silver clunker would take her, Raven Roth sped to the gate, speed-dialed the entrance code, and roared down the driveway. But, when she got out of her still-running car, her small feet made no noise as she approached the door, which opened before she could move, revealing a solemn-looking butler.

Wordlessly, Alfred pointed to Richard and Starfire's location, but it wasn't necessary, Raven could already hear their voices emanating from the room.

With all the stealth she had learned from her recent ninja training, Raven pulled a small device from her purse, activated it, and made her way to the back entrance of the kitchen. She slowly pushed open the thankfully quiet swinging door.

It took everything she had not to react to the sight that greeted her eyes.

Richard Grayson and Starfire Anders were dirty, laughing, and most importantly, completely unaware of their friend's presence as they stood side by side, baking gingerbread men.

But the absolute best part of this already deliciously blackmail-able scene, was that Richard Grayson, supposed playboy, filthy rich heir, and secretly Nightwing, personal protector of Jump City, was _covered in cookie dough, **wearing a green and yellow striped apron. **_

Raven's look of total absolute gleeful triumph was frankly, disturbing; an expression likely and thankfully never to be seen by mortal man again.

She raised her camera and focused carefully. She only had one shot at this, and she had to make it count. It was the only way she could earn what was rightfully hers.

Her finger pressed the button. The flash went off.

And as she ran to the exit in attempts to escape from the enraged and embarrassed Richard, she inwardly praised her psychic powers.

_I _knew_ the humiliating thing would somehow involve baking with Richard in an apron. This is going to be_ wonderful.

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

For Alfred, that month-and-a-half had been lonely_…_

_But now with Master Richard and Miss Starfire back at home, it seemed like things would soon be back to normal. _

****

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

He looked up from dusting the spotless table in the foyer as Miss Rachel neared.

"I'll deliver your cut when I collect it from Terra. Thanks for the call Alfred."

He was barely able to say, "It was my pleasure Miss Rachel," before the dark young lady had taken her leave. Promptly thereafter, Master Richard came running, still clad in his apron, and he jerked open the door, finding nothing but the dust kicked up from the old car as it left the estate at a speed Master Bruce would have been proud of.

It had seemed Miss Rachel had performed her disappearing act yet again, and Master Richard groaned, not noticing Alfred, who had resumed his dusting.

"How does she _do_ that?" the young man lamented to no one, then turned back to the direction of the kitchen, muttering about bets and humiliation and the like.

As the old butler stared after his young Master, a bizarre expression crossed his face. If you hadn't known him, one could say that the man had looked…smug.

But it wasn't possible right?

It was _Alfred_ after all…

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**The E-WAIT! I almost forgot!! **

**I must add the final installment of my Author's Note Mini-Story: Beast Boy Butler.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Beast Boy: (has transformed back to human form, but is still snoozin away)**

**Me: (Blows a dog whistle) **

**Beast Boy: AUUUUUGH!! (shoots up and clutches ears)**

**Me: Beast Boy! Attention!**

**Beast Boy: (snaps to and salutes) Ma'am yes ma'am!**

**Me: You have been discharged soldier!**

**Beast Boy: (falters) Wha-? 'Discharge'? Is that some new electric torture thingy that you girls call "pampering"?**

**Me: Nope, it means yer being let go.**

**Beast Boy: What? Why?**

**Me: Well, Storm and The Black Cat have gotten together and opened some spa of their own that completely muscled us out. They had a secret weapon.**

**Beast Boy: What was it?**

**Me: (all sad) Free T-shirts. With the logos of every super on them.**

**Beast Boy: Ouch.**

**Me: (nods solemnly) We never stood a chance. But no worries, they offered me a job there, so I don't need you anymore. Yer free now. (Walks away. Anti-climactic, I know)**

**Beast Boy: (cant believe it) That's it?! No way! I'm not a slave any more!! I'm free at last, dudes! Free at long last!!**

**(A bell rings somewhere. Beast Boys nose starts twitching.)**

**Beast Boy: What the-? Why did-**

**Raven: (Appears behind him, holding a bell) You may be of no use to Skyler now, but I can find PLENTY of things to do. **

**Beast Boy: (pales) Eep.**

**Raven: Wait til you see what happens when I snap my fingers. Now lets go (Clicks tongue)**

**Beast Boy: (Begins walking against his will) What!? NO!! I just got OUT of being lackey to a Chick-tator!! NO!! (still keeps walking) SKYYLERRRR!!**

**(Cut to someone decked out in a full set of Azarath clothes, with some Sha-laians working on them, and is snapping through a roll of cash) **

**Me: (Looks up and out through the cape hood)……What?**

**Sha-laians: 'What?' SHA-LAH!!**

**The End. Hee hee hee.**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**Me: Yeah, no foolin guys, this is the last story-type chapter of my first Fanfic, now completed at (checks clock) 1:04 AM. Its actually a very touching moment.**

**And I know, I know, I did SAY this wasnt the last chappe, but ****before you start throwing the word "LIAR!!" at me, let me say right now, technically this isn't the last chapter.**

I still need to do the dedications.

……

…OK, I suppose yer entitled to throw stuff at me now for that utterly terrible excuse--

Now Pacified Angry Readers: (hold up objects of choice)

Me: (gets out armor) Well, at least we're ending this story on a familiar note. But if you REALLY wanna play into this nostalgia thing, you could maybe...I dunno, REVIEW!?

Readers: (exchange various looks)

Me: C'MON GUYS! As long as YOU'VE been waitin for a chapter, I'VE been waitng as long for REVIEWS for that chapter! (crouches down and holds up garbage can lid shield) Give me yer best shot people.

**L8r,**

**SAT :)**


	20. Dedications

**2 years, 2 months, and 25 days ago This Star made my wish come true was born.**

**And if it wasnt for you all, it wouldve never made it this far.**

**I Dedicate This Story to You.**

**My Readers, My Reviewers, My Friends.**

**Like I said guys, im horribly mushy. Which O will now prove as I give various shoutouts to the people who stayed with me through all this while, gave remarkable support and critisism in thier reviews, or reviewed each chapter I posted. I love ya guys.**

**Queen-of-the-Saps: You were the one who introduced me to , and I'm forever indebted to you. And even though you left early on (as a RobRae shipper, couldnt stand the RobStar fluff) you were still my very first reviewer. LOVE YA QUEENIE!!**

**Moonlady9: If it wasnt for YOU and yer critique, I think this story wouldve been alot worse. Skyler thanks you for yer beta-like reviews. I APPRECIATE IT LADY!!**

**Samuraigurl1213: Ahh my dear Dr. Penelope Smith, you ended up playing a much larger and more important role than either of us had initially thought eh? And ya know what? I'm pretty happy about it. The entire visit to the hospital wouldnt have been as good if ya havent given me a character that I needed to work in. Also, I get the feeling that any story I write will prompt a correction-filled review from you chick-a-dee. And I hope ya never stop! Yer the only person whose willing to trample over my "delicate artistic spirit" to tell me whats what! KEEP ON KEEPIN ME IN LINE EM!!**

**Winkygirl12: YOU!! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO BOMBARDED ME LATE IN THE GAME WITH GLEEFUL REVIEWS FOR EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER OF THIS STORY!! AND I ENJOYED READING EVERY STINKIN ONE! LOVE YA GIRL!!**

**Kryalla Orchid: I can honestly say I nearly passed out when I saw yer review in my inbox. The fact that you bothered to to even READ my stuff was mindblowing, then the fact that you LIKED it...total honor. THANK YOU SO MUCH KRY!**

**And as always, ThSamurai: Ya seem to have not tired of me yet, and I more than anyone am glad of it. Yer my best friend on this site and I always wait impatiently for yer reviews, which always seem to be the last ones. (pouts) THANKS FOR EVERYTHING SAM!!**

**Me: And as usual, much thanks goes to the Chapter Story Plot Bunny that inspired it all.**

**CSPB: (Hunched over and leaning on a walker) It TOOK ya long enough to finish missy! Two years, Skyler, TWO YEARS! DO you know how LONG that is in Plot Bunny years? Im practically ready to retire!**

**Me: Shut up.**

**And all you other reviewers, I wouldnt be here if not for you.**

**Secret-Clarity (a loyal reviewer)**

**Longhairedhorse (You are the kind of reviewer every author loves. You rant, your praise, you laugh, you squeal in fangirlyness, and you write in all caps. Love ya!)**

**.Popx**

**pixiepuff101 (love yer name)**

**puckyblack**

**StarrGoddess**

**shadowgirl35**

**CutchieBear**

**nadiagirl**

**Nixiesocean**

**Soccergurl8500 (thanks for all yer berating)**

**Dark Chocolate DOOM (I freaking love that name)**

**Realfanficts (Ya started readin pretty late, but you certainly made up for it with yer reviews. And what funny reviews they were.)**

**Saorise Waveglow (Another late in the game reviewer, but personally, it was worth the wait. Yer a great writer and an equally great reviewer.)**

**heartbreaker91**

**AthLtcandHYPer**

**Princess Skyeand'r**

**WeepingDeathAngel**

**Spread-My-Wingz-And-Soar (I could always count on you to review)**

**Merry Monarch (As always, I love getting reviewed by you)**

**powmia3799 (cool name)**

**Peachy-me-keen1591**

**SeaBear 16**

**TheMysticalMistresses (You lady, wrote the longest review I have ever recieved. IT WAS AWESOME.)**

**Panic 4 Lyf**

**Sarcasm Queen 1**

**Sta-R-obin**

**God's Child aka kgnasciment...(appreciate how hard I tried to get that spelled right)**

**rite4fun**

**Emerald-Mask**

**RobinxStarfireLuvr**

**skye668**

**'rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe...(again, hard name to get right)**

**indescribabubble (such a funny name)**

**Blank (literally, the anon review had no name)**

**TheUltimateCokeBear**

**SamCram2121**

**Neko Reina-Chan**

**lauren1991**

**kamika-stars**

**jerseygrl90**

**torral 11**

**cartoonstar**

**milkshakelvr**

**Pirategirl0**

**IAmTheBattleMaiden (after Im done with this, Im gonna go write the Blue October sequal, hope yer happy.)**

**(your reviews both frightened and amused me)**

**RoseXxxXThorn**

**ByE ByE RobIn**

**MicWhite10**

**AlwaysLoveYou**

**XxStarRobinxX**

**puppyeyes135**

**Berry Drops**

**EveRoyal (glad to see ya with an account now girlie)**

**Karol!na07**

**Greencandy88**

**Samanthe2121**

**Fire Lady Aya**

**Ariel34652**

**Mai-805**

**Royal Blue**

**FairieAngelx3o**

**XxNightfirexX**

**SuPeR HyPeR chick 101**

**robinxstarfire93**

**Alien Emerald (still love yer name)**

**tennisgal456**

**Somewhere In Time**

**erifrats101**

**OhxSnapple**

**TeenTitansFreakFanForever (The Number 1 fan of this story, thanks for the lovely all-caps reviews Ari)**

**Emily Snow12**

**Boredella**

**xheartkreuzx**

**Glory of Dawn**

**jpiink**

**Chim-Chim-Charoo (This person was anonymus, but I loved their review so much that Im pasting it here.) "Do you hit muggers with that hand?" I can just see that happening. While Robin and Flame are ****across town knocking the crap out of Paunch, Patch, Pony Tail, and Paco, Raven monitors inner-city streets to dispense some justice. "Azarath, Metrion, **-SLAP!" (I can't remember the time I laughed so hard)**

**TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT**

**And I hope the list will grow. Just because this story has ended doesn't mean that I'm going to ignore it or those who love it. KEEP READIN, KEEP REVIEWIN!! **

**I'll still be here to answer guys. **

**Thank you all so much**

**L8r**

**SAT :)**


End file.
